Modifications of the great toe fibular flap for diabetic forefoot and toe reconstruction

Diabetic forefoot and toe wounds are difficult to heal in a timely fashion. Despite proper continued offloading and protective shoe-gear techniques, these wounds are frequently complicated by recurrent breakdown and adjacent toe deformities. When properly performed, pedicle flaps from the fibular border of the great toe represent viable and cost-effective means of providing early and durable soft tissue coverage and osseous reconstruction of diabetic forefoot and lesser toe wounds. Two modifications of the traditional great toe fibular flap are described: the great toe fibular adipofascio-cutaneous flap and the great toe fibular osteo-cutaneous flap, useful for providing forefoot and toe reconstruction, respectively. Understanding the surgical aspects of the treatment provides insights into overall care for these challenging wounds. Long-term outcomes studies involving these toe reconstruction techniques are needed to fully evaluate their success in preventing recurrent toe deformity and forefoot ulceration.