ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Surg.
Sec. Reconstructive and Plastic Surgery
Volume 12 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fsurg.2025.1629340
Therapeutic Efficacy of Superficial Vein-Anastomosed Spiral Propeller Flap in Elderly Patients with Foot and Ankle Soft Tissue Defects
Provisionally accepted
- 1Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
- 2Zhanjiang Central Hospital，Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
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Background: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of superficial vein anastomoses spiral propeller flaps in improving venous return and reducing postoperative complications for elderly patients with foot and ankle soft tissue defects. Methods: A prospective study involving 15 elderly patients (65-90 years) underwent spiral propeller flap repair between 2020-2021. Flap perfusion, swelling, venous patency (Doppler ultrasound), and ankle function (AOFAS score) were assessed. Results: All flaps survived, with 2 cases of distal superficial necrosis healing after dressing. Postoperative swelling improved from Grade II (n=10) to Grade I (n=13) at 6 months. AOFAS scores showed 86.7% excellent/good outcomes. Conclusion: Venous anastomosis in spiral propeller flaps significantly enhances flap survival and functional recovery in elderly patients with comorbidities.
Keywords: Spiral propeller flap, superficial vein anastomoses, Soft tissue defects, Elderly, Foot and Ankle
Received: 15 May 2025; Accepted: 07 Jul 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Chen, Liao, Ruan, Chen, Lv, Cai, Chen and Liang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Guangmou Chen, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
Bo Liang, Zhanjiang Central Hospital，Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
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