Perforating vessels patches represent an advancement in terms of skin failures treatment. On the distal third of the leg, the alternatives for skin covering are scarce, often requiring microsurgery. In this study, we aimed to make a prospective assessment of 20 patients submitted to treatment of bloody areas of leg's distal third by means of pedicled patches in perforating arteries. The location of the perforating arteries was preoperatively found using the ecodoppler test. The patches were planned to allow up to 180-degree rotation in the bloody area. In 6 cases, perforating vessels had the fibular artery as source; in 10, the posterior tibial artery, and; in 4, the anterior tibial artery. The accuracy rate of the ecodoppler was 88.2%. For young patients presenting injuries caused by trauma, procedure failures were found in 15.4%, and for those with associated comorbidities, 33.3%. Based on our studies, we conclude that perforating vessels patches are a good alternative for skin failures on the distal segment of the leg.
Surgical patches; Lower end; Reconstructive surgical procedures; Microsurgery
