[Maintenance of foot sensory function by end-to-side neurorrhaphy].

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this paper is to introduce the experience in maintaining or reconstructing foot sensory function after harvesting skin flap from the leg.

METHODS

After dissecting the fasciacutaneous flap in the medial leg, the end-to-side neurorrhaphy was performed between the distal saphenous nerve and the sural nerve. When the retrograde-flow neurocutaneous island flap was raised, the end-to-side neurorrhaphy was carried out between the sural nerve carried by the flap and the cutaneous nerve of the foot dorsum. Also a less important cutaneous nerve branch can be harvested and implanted into the denervated flap in the foot with the other end of the nerve sutured to the lateral side of the cutaneous nerve of the foot dorsum.

RESULTS

This operation was performed on three patients. Postoperative follow-up of 9 to 36 months revealed good results.

CONCLUSION

This technique is simple and effective.