Rotational flap closure of first and fifth metatarsal head plantar ulcers: adjunctive procedure when performing first or fifth ray amputation

Reconstruction and Outcome of Foot Defects Following Oncological Resection-Experience from a Cancer Centre in North-East India

Solid tumours around the foot are rare and include soft tissue sarcomas, skin and bone malignancies. Extended soft tissue defects due to oncological resection result in the loss of shock-absorbing and friction resistant tissue, which leads to altered walking patterns and pain. Replacement of plantar tissue requires soft tissue resistant to weight, pressure and shear stress. The other important desired goal of foot reconstruction is short wound healing time in order to allow adjuvant therapy at stipulated time. This is a retrospective study from March 2016 to October 2019. A total of twenty-one (n = 21) patients were operated for foot malignancies during this period in our institute and the resulting defects were reconstructed using various methods. Different reconstructive surgeries were performed depending on tumour size, location and general health status of patients. The length of hospitalization and the presence of local postoperative complications were assessed. Functional outcomes were measured in terms of MSTS score. Average age of the series is 53.1 years. Sixty-six percent of the patients (n = 14) presented with tumour at the weight bearing areas and 33% patients (n = 7) at the non-weight bearing areas of the foot. Fifty-seven percent of patients (n = 12) presented with malignant melanoma of foot, squamous cell carcinoma was seen in 33% (n = 7) patients and 4% patients (n = 1 each) presented as osteosarcoma and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour respectively. The mean MSTS score in patients with weight bearing areas (location) is statistically significant (p = 0.031). There is a significant correlation between the surgical complications and follow up MSTS score (p = 0.046) which signifies that flap related complications result in lower MSTS score. The mean MSTS score was 22.71/30. Complications were observed in three cases which included partial flap necrosis, graft loss and foot stiffness. Simple skin grafts to local flaps maybe a viable option in a limited resource setting based on the location of defect. Free tissue transfer is the ideal choice in case of weight bearing areas to achieve acceptable outcomes.

Local Random Flaps for the Diabetic Foot

Diabetic foot wounds should be treated in a timely fashion to prevent infection and potential limb loss. When local wound care and traditional off-loading fails, surgeons may consider local random flaps for definitive closure. Wound size, location, and type are characteristics that should be considered for selection of the best flap. This article reviews the application of local random flaps in the treatment of diabetic foot wounds.

Use of Local Flaps for Soft-Tissue Closure in Diabetic Foot Wounds: A Systematic Review

"A systematic review was undertaken to assess the outcomes of local random flaps in diabetic foot wound closure. The review was conducted using the following databases: Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Cochrane Library, Excerpta Medica dataBASE, Google Scholar, MEDLINE, Ovid, and PubMed. Search terms were local random flap, diabetes, foot, wound, ulceration, neuropathy, tissue transfer, V-Y, bilobed, monolobed, rotational, advancement, transpositional, rhomboid, and Limberg. English language studies, studies published from 1997 to 2017, patients with diabetes mellitus treated for foot wounds, use of local random flaps, follow-up period of 6 months or more postoperatively, documentation of healing rates, complications, and need for revisional surgery were included. Isolated literature reviews and descriptions of only surgical technique and/or cadaveric studies were excluded. The initial search identified 53 eligible studies with 28 being excluded. The remaining 25 studies used for data extraction had a total of 512 patients in which 199 of these underwent 204 local random flap procedures. Average follow-up for the flaps was approximately >2 years, and successful wound closure at last follow-up was demonstrated in 75.5% of the studied population. Studies were found to be of generally low quality, with the majority composed of retrospective case series. Based on current available evidence found in this systematic review, local random flaps demonstrated a relatively high success rate when utilized for the definitive closure of diabetic foot wounds. However, because of a lack of high-quality evidence and substantial heterogeneity among the studies, the results should be interpreted with caution. Levels of Evidence: Level III: Systematic review.

Osteomyelitis of the First Metatarsal Head Treated With Joint-Preserving Surgery and a Synthetic Resorbable Bone Graft Substitute: A Case Report

Managing infections of the first metatarsophalangeal joint can be demanding because many patients present with late-stage infection and partial or total amputation of the first ray or the phalanx could be necessary. We describe such a patient who was successfully treated with a calcium-based resorbable bone substitute that preserved the first metatarsophalangeal joint. A 38-year-old female presented to our department with a foot infection. Examination revealed a methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus infection of the first metatarsophalangeal joint. The histopathologic findings confirmed active osteomyelitis of the first metatarsal head. The metatarsophalangeal joint was debrided with open synovectomy, the metatarsal head was curetted, and the bone defect was filled with 2 mL of a synthetic bone graft substitute. Two years later, she reported no problems with function or pain, the joint had full range of motion, and she had no local or systemic signs of infection. The most recent radiographs revealed no damage to the first metatarsophalangeal joint. A synthetic bone graft substitute can be a good alternative for treating forefoot infections when the soft tissues are intact and the bone defect is not so large that partial or full amputation is necessary.

Complete Fifth Ray Amputation With Peroneal Tendon Transfer to the Cuboid: A Review of Consecutive Cases Involving Lateral Column Neuropathic Foot Ulceration and Osteomyelitis

Nonhealing wounds along the fifth metatarsal associated with neuropathy and bone deformity frequently become complicated with osteomyelitis. Our surgical technique for complete fifth ray amputation with peroneal tendon transfer has been previously published. The present study evaluated the outcomes regarding success with initial healing and intermediate-term limb survival after this procedure, which is intended to resolve infection, remove bone deformity, heal and prevent recurrence of lateral column wounds, and maintain functional stability of the foot. An institutional review board-approved retrospective review of 21 consecutive cases was performed on patients who had undergone complete fifth ray amputation from August 2006 to September 2015. Comorbid conditions were assessed in relation to outcome. The typical stage 1 procedure involved complete fifth toe and metatarsal amputation, antibiotic bead placement, and preliminary wound closure. The stage 2 procedure was performed 2 weeks later and involved removal of the antibiotic beads, biopsy and remodeling of the cuboid, and peroneus longus tendon transfer to the cuboid. All cases involved ulceration along the fifth metatarsal. Of the 21 patients, 10 (47.6%) had undergone previous partial fifth ray amputation with recurrent ulceration at the residual metatarsal stump. Osteomyelitis of the fifth metatarsal was confirmed by bone culture and/or positive pathologic findings for osteomyelitis in 19 of 21 cases (90.5%). A total of 15 patients (71.4%) were completely healed at 10 weeks, and 10 patients (47.6%) required subsequent surgery, including 4 below-the-knee amputations and 1 Symes amputation. The average follow-up period was 37.0 (range 2.9 to 105) months. Despite the 10 patients (47.6%) requiring revision surgery, the limb salvage rate was 76.2% (16 of 21) at an average follow-up period of >3 years in this high-risk patient population.

Radiation therapy for recurrent heterotopic ossification prophylaxis after partial metatarsal amputation

The formation of heterotopic ossification is a relatively common, yet rarely discussed, cause of re-ulceration after previous partial metatarsal amputation. Excessive bone growth at the amputation site has the potential to create an unwanted prominence on the weightbearing surface of the foot, intuitively increasing plantar pressure and placing the neuropathic patient at greater risk of re-ulceration and limb loss. The aim of the present study was to assess the efficacy of single-dose radiation therapy in preventing recurrent heterotopic ossification. The inclusion criteria consisted of a history of clinically relevant heterotopic ossification formation after partial metatarsal amputation with subsequent partial metatarsal amputation for heterotopic ossification resection, followed by prophylactic single-dose radiation therapy. Eleven consecutive patients meeting the inclusion criteria were identified for the present study. Before the intervention, 10 (91%) patients demonstrated formation of mid- to high-grade heterotopic ossification, and 9 (82%) patients exhibited an associated neuropathic ulceration. On follow-up at least 6 weeks after intervention, 2 (18%) patients exhibited low-grade heterotopic ossification reformation that was not clinically relevant and 9 (82%) did not show signs of heterotopic recurrence. Single-dose radiation therapy can help prevent the formation of heterotopic ossification in high-risk patients, acting as an effective adjunct to surgery in minimizing the risk of re-ulceration and re-amputation in the neuropathic patient.

Partial foot amputations for salvage of the diabetic lower extremity

Lower extremity infections are a common yet unfortunate complication of diabetes-related ulcers often requiring surgical intervention. The main goals of surgical treatment consist of selecting the appropriate procedure to effectively eradicate nonsalvageable tissue, achieve primary healing, and maximize subsequent dynamic functionality. An overview of each partial foot amputation procedure is discussed with a focus on procedure selection as well as standard and advanced surgical techniques. The effective application of partial foot amputations in the high-risk diabetic population can act to minimize the need for major proximal lower limb amputations.

The role of plastic surgery for soft tissue coverage of the diabetic foot and ankle

The goal of wound healing is to obtain the best closure through the least morbid means. In the surgical treatment of the diabetic foot and ankle, the reconstructive foot and ankle surgeon is tasked with the challenge of repairing a variety of tissue defects. The decision for wound closure depends on the location of the wound and host factors. In order of increasing complexity, the clinician should consider the reconstruction decision ladder algorithm. Wound evaluation coupled with the knowledge of various closure techniques and their indications will arm the surgeon with the tools for a successful closure.