Lateral Fasciectomy Sparing the Superficial Peroneal Nerve with Simultaneous Mesh Graft in Non-healing Lateral Leg Ulcers of Diverse Vascular Origins: Surgical Technique, Short- and Long-term Results from 44 Legs

OBJECTIVES: The technique of lateral fasciectomy (LF) sparing the superficial peroneal nerve with mesh graft coverage is a novel treatment of non-healing lateral leg ulcers of various vascular origin affecting the fascia. We report short- and long-term results of LF for recalcitrant lateral leg ulcers. DESIGN: This study is a single center, retrospective case series of consecutive patients treated by LF. MATERIALS: From 827 ulcers treated at our institution, 44 recalcitrant lateral leg ulcers affecting the fascia (41 patients) underwent lateral fasciectomy between 2006 and 2013. METHODS: Preoperative indications, step-by-step surgical procedures, and perioperative care methodologies are presented. Long-term effects of healing and recurrence were clinically investigated or obtained through telephone interviews with relatives and local practitioners. RESULTS: Three discrete etiologies were identified: venous ulcers (n = 24), arterial-venous/mixed ulcers (n = 11), and arteriolar Martorell hypertensive leg ulcers (n = 9). Complete healing was achieved in 40 legs (91%) after 3 months, and in 43 of the affected legs (98%) in total. The median duration to complete healing was 64 days. There was no difference between the healing times of different etiologies. No local recurrence was observed during the follow-up period, which ranged from 1.8 to 8.7 years (median: 5.11, mean: 5.12). Twelve patients (27%) died within this period due to multimorbidity. CONCLUSIONS: Following lateral fasciectomy and mesh graft coverage, 43 legs (98%) healed in previously treatment resistant lateral leg ulcers.