The reverse sural artery flap– How do modifications boost its reliability? A systematic analysis of the literature

摘要

The reverse sural artery flap (RSAF) was first described approximately four decades ago and has since been used frequently for reconstruction of soft tissue defects in the distal part of the leg. Although the popularity of this flap never reached the extent of that of free perforator flaps, it still serves as a reliable alternative. This has been demonstrated by the increased rate of publication on the technique in recent years. The number of authors reporting data has risen up to 20 reports a year.