Work

Successful preservation of below-knee amputation stump wound with vastus lateralis anterolateral thigh flap in a patient with peripheral artery disease

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: The preservation of a below-knee amputation (BKA) stump is essential for maintaining optimal limb function and facilitating future prosthetic use. Salvaging an infected stump is particularly challenging due to the loss of healthy soft tissue necessary to preserve adequate limb length. Patients with peripheral artery disease are often not considered candidates for complex reconstruction given concerns for poor perfusion, active smoking, and medical comorbidities. This case demonstrates a patient who underwent a BKA after failed revascularization for acute limb ischemia. Successful salvage of a BKA stump with a polymicrobial infection was achieved using an anterolateral thigh free flap with vastus lateralis muscle. At 4 months postoperatively, the patient was successfully ambulating with a prosthetic leg. This case demonstrates that advanced reconstruction for preservation of BKA stump may be feasible in patients with underlying peripheral artery disease.

Source: Journal of Vascular Surgery Cases and Innovative Techniques

DOI: 10.1016/j.jvscit.2026.102280

Authors: Shannon M. McDonnell, Jason Souza, Bryan W. Tillman, Kristine C. Orion, K. Benjamin Lee

Institutions: The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University

Language: English

Topic: Reconstructive Surgery and Microvascular Techniques

Subfield: Surgery

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,250