Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 18, 2026
Engineered Vascularized Muscle Flap
Published on: January 11, 2016
Varied uses of the medial sural artery perforator flap
1St Andrew's Centre for Plastic Surgery, Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford, Essex, UK.
Background And Aim:
The aim of the study was to demonstrate how the medial sural artery perforator flap can be used in a wide range of settings and not focused on one area, as previous papers have done. We also wanted to demonstrate that larger flaps can be harvested from the donor site and still closed directly to optimise the appearance of the donor site.
Methods:
We describe the use of the medial sural artery perforator flap in 18 patients with defects of the head and neck, upper and lower limbs.
Results:
All 18 flaps survived, although one suffered some delayed partial loss due to pressure damage. All donor sites were closed directly to optimise the appearance of the donor site. There were complications with the donor site wound in 2 patients. This resulted in further surgery in one case.
Conclusion:
The advantages of the flap are discussed over some of the more commonly used options for reconstruction of these areas. It is a good source of thin, pliable soft tissue with a long pedicle, which makes it very adaptable. The skin paddle is small but if designed appropriately allows the donor site to be closed directly, leaving an aesthetically good result.
