LONG-TERM FOLLOW-UP-STUDY ON NEUROVASCULA R FREE RADIAL FOREARM FLAPSON THE SOLE OF THE FOOT

A long-term follow-up study on 20 patients with soft-tissue coverage o f sole defects analysing ''sensitivity'', ''stability'' and ''function '' is presented. The dynamic motion of walking was recorded using an E MED sensor plate. Patients with free flap coverage of the sole only wa lk over the remaining original plantar skin if at all possible. Patien ts with transposition flaps, however, were found to have normal gait m otion. In spite of these results, the better stability of free flaps t han split-thickness skin grafts and the high acceptence by the patient s makes the free neurovascular forearm flap a good donor for larger so le defects not suitable for transposition flaps. A new scoring system for free flaps on the sole of the is proposed.