Problems in surgery of the sole of the foot

: The structure of the weight-bearing plantar skin and the subcutaneous cushion is adapted to mechanical loads of 3-10 kp/cm2 under walking conditions. Such loads, however, are only tolerated when compensated by constant alternation of loaded points. If the surgical therapy with free skin grafts or pedicled flaps does not take into account the vascular and neural architecture of the plantar skin, healing without problems may result--but only for a short time. As a rule, such grafting is later followed by painful keratotic lesions or non-healing "trophic" ulcers, which are caused by loss of sensitive innervation, changing of loaded points as well as the specific subcutaneous architecture. Therefore, reconstructive surgery of loaded plantar skin often requires innervated musculo-cutaneous flaps. Plantar warts or other benign lesions with possible regression are not indications for grafting at all.