ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

Chirurgia Del Piede 1999 June;23(2):73-8

Copyright © 1999 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: Italian

Reconstruction of soft tissues in the post-traumatic foot. Part 1

Bruschi S., Fraccalvieri M.

The effective and stable cover of a loss of post-traumatic substance from the foot is still a problem which is not easy for the surgeon to resolve. The foot is a complex organ, made up of a series of wedged and interdependent structures and covered by soft tissues which differ from those in other areas of the body. Owing to the functions which it must perform, the foot must support endless ''physiological'' traumas which include both the weight of the entire organism and the continuous strain provoked by footwear. On the other hand, the topographic situation and high frequency of accidents, both on the road and at work, mean that this organ is particularly predisposed to traumatic lesions. The foot region is involved in 15.2% of industrial and artisan accidents and 16.5% of agricultural accidents. In this study the authors examine the problems which usually face reconstructive plastic surgeons when repairing soft foot tissues. In order to discuss the subject as a whole, using a didactic approach where possible, the authors have divided it into three separate but consequential parts. After a short introduction which aims to underline the statistical data regarding the involvement of the foot in accidents at work, the first part of the study, which is the subject of this article, aims to lay the foundations for the treatment of post-traumatic injuries in order to proceed to their surgical cover. The authors underline the importance of close collaboration between the orthopedic surgeon and the plastic surgeon in order to tackle this type of injury with skill and functional success.