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

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Diabetic Foot Care
• Wound Healing

Background:

• Diabetic foot wounds present a significant challenge in wound closure.
• Local random flaps are a surgical option for managing these complex wounds.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the outcomes of local random flaps used for diabetic foot wound closure.
• To assess healing rates, complications, and the need for revisional surgery.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review of studies published between 1997 and 2017 was conducted.
• Databases searched included PubMed, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, and others.
• Inclusion criteria focused on studies with diabetic patients, local random flaps, and at least a 6-month follow-up.

Main Results:

• Twenty-five studies with 512 patients (199 undergoing 204 flap procedures) were analyzed.
• Successful wound closure was achieved in 75.5% of cases at long-term follow-up.
• The quality of evidence was generally low, primarily retrospective case series.

Conclusions:

• Local random flaps demonstrate a relatively high success rate for definitive closure of diabetic foot wounds.
• However, substantial heterogeneity and lack of high-quality evidence require cautious interpretation.
• Further high-quality research is needed to validate these findings.