Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42099756›Full record

ReviewJPRAS open2026

Functional and clinical outcomes of propeller flaps in lower extremity reconstruction: A systematic review.

Luigi Annacontini, Luigi Cagiano, Vincenzo Verdura, Roberta Zupo, Fabio Castellana, Domenico Parisi, Aurelio Portincasa

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in JPRAS open, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Luigi AnnacontiniDepartment of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Foggia, Viale Luigi Pinto 1, 71100 Foggia, Italy.
Luigi CagianoDepartment of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Foggia, Viale Luigi Pinto 1, 71100 Foggia, Italy.
Vincenzo VerduraDepartment of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Foggia, Viale Luigi Pinto 1, 71100 Foggia, Italy.
Roberta ZupoDepartment of Interdisciplinary Medicine (DIM), University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70100 Bari, Italy.
Fabio CastellanaDepartment of Interdisciplinary Medicine (DIM), University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70100 Bari, Italy.
Domenico ParisiDepartment of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Foggia, Viale Luigi Pinto 1, 71100 Foggia, Italy.
Aurelio PortincasaDepartment of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Foggia, Viale Luigi Pinto 1, 71100 Foggia, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Soft-tissue reconstruction of the distal leg, ankle, and foot remains challenging due to limited local tissue and compromised vascularity. Propeller perforator flaps have emerged over the past 2 decades as an alternative to free flaps, offering preservation of major vascular axes and reduced donor-site morbidity. However, clinical outcomes remain heterogeneous, and the reliability and functional benefits of PPFs are still debated. Methods: A PRISMA-2020-compliant systematic review (PROSPERO: CRD420251148124) was conducted through August 2025 across PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, Ovid, and Web of Science. Eligible studies included observational designs, case series, and case reports on PPFs for lower-extremity reconstruction. Primary outcomes included flap survival, necrosis, venous congestion, infection, reoperation, functional recovery, and quality of life. The risk of bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute tools and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Results: Fifty-one studies ( Conclusions: Propeller perforator flaps are a feasible reconstructive option for lower limb defects, although outcomes remain variable. Further prospective, comparative studies are needed to establish their long-term reliability and functional impact.

Indexed as

Functional outcomesLower-extremity reconstructionPropeller perforator flapSoft-tissue defectsSystematic review

Identifiers

PMID42099756
PMCPMC13147813

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.