Use of autologous iliac crest graft and free anterolateral femoral skin flap in diabetic foot ulcers: a case report.

Background: Diabetic foot has a great impact on the life of patients. Its treatment involves a multi-disciplinary and multi-direction approach, which requires not only soft tissue repair, but also bone reconstruction and functional repair.

Case presentation: A 51-year-old Chinese man with a three-year history of diabetes was diagnosed with ulcers in his left foot. We performed a successful procedure, and the different strategies we adopted helped to avoid serious complications during treatment. The patient was treated with debridement, bone cement, iliac crest graft, and anterolateral femoral skin flap, and recovered well.

Conclusion: There is a dearth of reports pertaining to treatment of diabetic foot in patients with midfoot bone and soft tissue loss. In this report, we present an effective method that we used to reconstruct the loss of midfoot in a patient with diabetic foot, illustrating a successful therapeutic strategy for saving limbs in this complex medical condition.