Dermal Matrices: Game Changers in Leg and Foot Soft Tissue Reconstruction? A Case Series. 2023

Despoina D Kakagia, and George Georgiadis, and George Drosos
Democritus University Hospital, Alexandroupolis, Greece.

The present article aims to present the use of dermal matrices in severe degloving, avulsion, and necrotizing injuries of the leg and foot in 3 patients. Conventional reconstruction would require the use of free flaps, since exposure of vessels, nerves, joints, and tendons rendered the mere resurfacing with skin grafts insufficient, and extensive cutaneous detachment precluded the use of local fasciocutaneous flaps. All injuries underwent thorough and repeated surgical debridements and wash outs, followed by negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT). Once negative tissue cultures were obtained, the extremities were resurfaced with dermal matrix and immediately covered by split thickness skin grafts. NPWT on the grafted area for a week effectively secured the grafts on the recipient area. Complete healing was achieved in all grafted areas within 7 to 12 days. The function of joints and tendons as well as the quality of resurfacing at the weight bearing areas were tested and found satisfactory within a follow-up period of 5 to 15 months. The use of combined NPWT and dermal matrices in carefully selected patients provides a reliable and durable reconstructive option for leg and foot injuries with satisfactory functional outcomes.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007866 Leg The inferior part of the lower extremity between the KNEE and the ANKLE. Legs
D007869 Leg Injuries General or unspecified injuries involving the leg. Injuries, Leg,Injury, Leg,Leg Injury
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D014945 Wound Healing Restoration of integrity to traumatized tissue. Healing, Wound,Healings, Wound,Wound Healings
D016038 Skin Transplantation The grafting of skin in humans or animals from one site to another to replace a lost portion of the body surface skin. Dermatoplasty,Grafting, Skin,Transplantation, Skin,Dermatoplasties,Graftings, Skin,Skin Grafting,Skin Graftings,Skin Transplantations,Transplantations, Skin
D017695 Soft Tissue Injuries Injuries of tissue other than bone. The concept is usually general and does not customarily refer to internal organs or viscera. It is meaningful with reference to regions or organs where soft tissue (muscle, fat, skin) should be differentiated from bones or bone tissue, as "soft tissue injuries of the hand". Injuries, Soft Tissue,Injury, Soft Tissue,Soft Tissue Injury
D058752 Free Tissue Flaps A mass of tissue that has been cut away from its surrounding areas to be used in TISSUE TRANSPLANTATION. Free Flaps,Free Tissue Transfer Flaps,Microsurgical Free Flaps,Flap, Free,Flap, Free Tissue,Flap, Microsurgical Free,Flaps, Free,Flaps, Free Tissue,Flaps, Microsurgical Free,Free Flap,Free Flap, Microsurgical,Free Flaps, Microsurgical,Free Tissue Flap,Microsurgical Free Flap,Tissue Flap, Free,Tissue Flaps, Free
D019651 Plastic Surgery Procedures Procedures used to reconstruct, restore, or improve defective, damaged, or missing structures. Cosmetic Reconstructive Surgical Procedures,Cosmetic Surgical Procedures,Esthetic Reconstructive Surgical Procedures,Esthetic Surgical Procedures,Plastic Surgical Procedures,Reconstructive Surgical Procedures,Reconstructive Surgical Procedures, Cosmetic,Cosmetic Reconstructive Surgery,Procedure, Reconstructive Surgical,Procedures, Reconstructive Surgical,Reconstructive Surgical Procedure,Reconstructive Surgical Procedures, Esthetic,Surgical Procedure, Reconstructive,Surgical Procedures, Reconstructive,Cosmetic Reconstructive Surgeries,Cosmetic Surgical Procedure,Esthetic Surgical Procedure,Plastic Surgery Procedure,Plastic Surgical Procedure,Procedure, Cosmetic Surgical,Procedure, Esthetic Surgical,Procedure, Plastic Surgery,Procedure, Plastic Surgical,Procedures, Cosmetic Surgical,Procedures, Esthetic Surgical,Procedures, Plastic Surgery,Procedures, Plastic Surgical,Reconstructive Surgeries, Cosmetic,Reconstructive Surgery, Cosmetic,Surgeries, Cosmetic Reconstructive,Surgery Procedure, Plastic,Surgery Procedures, Plastic,Surgery, Cosmetic Reconstructive,Surgical Procedure, Cosmetic,Surgical Procedure, Esthetic,Surgical Procedure, Plastic,Surgical Procedures, Cosmetic,Surgical Procedures, Esthetic,Surgical Procedures, Plastic

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