Tibial cortex transverse transport facilitating healing in patients with recalcitrant non-diabetic leg ulcers

The treatment of recalcitrant not-diabetic leg ulcers remains challenging. Distraction osteogenesis is accompanying by angiogenesis and neovascularization in the surrounding tissues. We previously applied tibial cortex transverse transport (TTT) to patients with recalcitrant diabetic foot ulcers and found neovascularization and increased perfusion in the foot and consequently enhanced healing and limb salvage and reduced recurrence. However, the effects of TTT on recalcitrant non-diabetic leg ulcer remains largely unknown.

Consecutive patients (n ​= ​85) with recalcitrant non-diabetic leg ulcers (University of Texas Grade 2-B to 3-D, ie, wound penetrating to the tendon, capsule, bone, or joint with infection and/or ischemia) were recruited and divided into TTT (n ​= ​42) and control (n ​= ​43) groups based on the treatment they received. There were 36 (85.7%) arterial ulcers, 4 (9.5%) venous ulcers and 2 (4.8%) mixed ulcers in the TTT group and 32 (74.4%) arterial ulcers, 7 (16.7%) venous ulcers and 4 (9.3%) mixed ulcers in the control group (p ​> ​0.05). The two groups were matched on demographic and clinical characteristics. Patients in the TTT group underwent tibial corticotomy followed by 4 weeks of distraction medially then laterally, while those in the control group received conventional surgeries (debridements, revascularization, reconstruction with flaps, or skin grafts or equivalents). Ulcer healing and healing time, limb salvage, recurrence, and patient death were evaluated at a 1-year follow-up. Changes in leg small vessels were assessed in the TTT group using computed tomography angiography (CTA).

TTT group had higher healing rates at 1-year follow-up than the control group (78.6% [33/42] vs. 58.1% [25/43], OR 2.64 [95% CI 1.10 to 6.85], p ​= ​0.04). The healing time of the TTT group was shorter than the control group (4.5 vs. 6.1 months, mean difference -1.60 [95% CI -2.93 to -0.26], p ​= ​0.02). There were no significant differences in rates of major amputation, reulceration, or mortality between the groups (p ​> ​0.05). TTT group displayed more small vessels 4 weeks postoperatively at the wound area, the foot, and the calf of the ipsilateral side in CTA. All patients in the TTT group achieved good union at the osteotomy site and had no skin or soft tissue necrosis or infection around the incision area.

The findings showed that TTT facilitated the healing of recalcitrant non-diabetic leg ulcers and reduced the healing time compared with conventional surgeries. They suggest that TTT is an effective procedure to treat recalcitrant non-diabetic foot ulcers compared with standard surgical therapy. The procedure of TTT is relatively simple. Randomized controlled trials are required to confirm these findings.

TTT can be used as an effective treatment for recalcitrant non-diabetic leg ulcers in patients. The mechanism may be associated with the neovascularization in the ulcerated foot induced by TTT and consequently increased perfusion. Together with previous findings from recalcitrant diabetic leg ulcers, the findings suggest TTT as an effective procedure to treat recalcitrant chronic leg ulcers.