Clinical practice for lower extremity reconstruction

Aim: Complications, functional and aesthetical results of patients, what kind of tissue closing methods were preferred, diversity in the surgical techniques which are preferred within years, advantages and disadvantages of different techniques with respect to each, were aimed in patients who were operated in our clinic for revealing to our experience in the lower extremity soft tissue repair. Materials and Methods: The techniques which are used for the reconstruction of 967 soft tissue defects that occur in the lower extremity, were evaluated retrospectively in between January 2004 and January 2016. According to archive scan results, patients' age, gender, presence of additional disease, the etiology of the lower extremity open wounds, defect localization, the selected surgical method in closure of the defect, the type of the anesthesia, complications, hospitalization duration, the number of surgery were determined. Results: In our study, 673 patients were included and 967 defect were operated. 69,99%of patients (n = 471) were male, 30,01%of them (n = 202) were female. The average age was 46,2 (7-85) and it was evaluated that the most common etiologic cause is trauma. When the defect area was researched, it was observed that the patients were frequently operated due to tissue defect on feet. When looking at the surgical method that is used all lower extremity tissue defects, it was determined that the graft was preferred. Conclusions: The lower steps of the reconstructive ladder for the lower extremity reconstruction, is more preferred over the past 30 years. Despite all the surgical developments, it should not be forgotten that the amputation might be inevitable and the preferred methods may not provide the best result in the long term for protecting the function of extremity.