An alternative method to free flap for distal leg and foot defects due to electrical burn injury: Distally Based Cross-Leg Sural Flap

High voltage electrical injuries can cause devastating results especially in distal extremities. Althought the free flaps are the golden standards for the reconstruction of these defects, sometimes local flap alternatives are more useful. One of the most favorable local flap is distally based sural flap (DBSF). This flap can be used in cross-leg fashion when ipsilateral extremity is affected by a high voltage electrical injury.
In this study, we evaluate long term results of 11 patients who had reconstruction to the lower extremity due to a high voltage electrical burn injury between the years of 2003-2013.
The cross-leg DBSF has good tissue compliance, provides tissue of adequate quantity and quality for leg and foot defects, and has low complication rates in the long term.