Surgical management of a diabetic calcaneal ulceration and osteomyelitis with a partial calcanectomy and a sural neurofasciocutaneous flap

Abstract

The treatment of calcaneal osteomyelitis in diabetic patients poses a great challenge to the treating physician and surgeon. The use of a distally based sural neurofasciocutaneous flap after an aggressive debridement of non-viable and poorly vascularized tissue and bone that is combined with a thorough antibiotic regimen provides a great technique for adequate soft tissue coverage of the heel. In this case report, the authors describe the aforementioned flap as a versatile alternative to the use of local or distant muscle flaps for diabetic patients with calcaneal osteomyelitis and concomitant large wounds.

Keywords: diabetic ulceration; plastic surgery; osteomyelitis; sural flap; calcaneus

(Published: 4 October 2010)

Citation: Diabetic Foot & Ankle 2010, 1: 5544 - DOI: 10.3402/dfa.v1i0.5544