Sural flap reconstruction of lateral malleolus following undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma resection with 1-year follow-up

TL;DR

A 54-year-old woman with a rare ankle tumor underwent successful surgery and reconstruction with a local flap, showing no recurrence after one year.

Contribution

The study highlights the effectiveness of reverse sural artery flap reconstruction for post-sarcoma defects in resource-limited settings.

Findings

The patient showed no signs of tumor recurrence or metastasis after one year.

The wound healed well with minimal complications.

The reverse sural artery flap proved effective in soft tissue reconstruction.

Abstract

We report a case of a 54-year-old female who presents with a gradually expanding mass at the right lateral malleolus. The diagnosis of undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma was made after a histopathological examination of the mass following a wide tumor excision. The defected soft tissue area was reconstructed using a local flap, reverse sural artery flap. Following the surgical management, multiple radiotherapy sessions were completed. The patient’s follow-up result showed no signs of local recurrence or metastasis, and the wound was well-healed with no complications other than paresthesia in a small area at the posterolateral aspect of the ankle under the lateral malleolus. This case represents a rare form of malignant neoplasm and emphasizes the effectiveness and safety of the reverse sural artery flap reconstruction technique, especially in places where microsurgery is unavailable or when the patient’s status does not allow for prolonged anesthesia.

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