[Repairing the soft tissue defect in the heel with a double-bridge pattern flap of the posterior ankle]

This is to introduce a method for repairing the soft tissue defect in the heel.

The double-bridge pattern flap in the posterior ankle region was designed with the pedicles of the flap being in each side of the malleoli. According to the defect, the lower bridge-pattern flap with an arc-shaped upper margin was designed first. Then the upper bridge-pattern flap was designed with a "lambda"-shaped margin. The flap was raised with the deep fascia and advanced down to cover the defect. In dissecting the flap, care should be taken not to damage the posterior tibial nerve and blood vessel bundle. The flap was used in 37 patients.

All the flaps survived except 2, in whom partial necrosis occurred in the upper bridge-pattern flap; they healed after dress changings. Follow-up of more than one year indicated that no ulcer took place in all the transferred flaps.

The blood supply and elasticity of the flap are good. Its sensation and resistance to friction and shearing are satisfactory. Distinguishable distance of two points in the flaps was 13 to 14 mm.