ABSTRACT
The alarming rise in road traffic accident has resulted in increased incidence of degloving lower limb injuries requiring some sort of cover for exposed bones e.g tibia. To study and compare the rate of wound infection and decreased morbidity in degloving injuries of lower limb following early bone coverage by various surgical methods of bone coverage. Comparative, prospective study, Allied Hospital SU II Faisalabad. From January 2002 to October 2004. Thirty [30] patients divided into four groups, muscle and musculocutaneous flaps for 15 patients, local rotational flaps for 05 patients, cross leg flaps and decortication for 05 patients. The patients in each group were divided unequally because of unavailability of patients. Patients were also examined postoperatively for 06 weeks. The patients underwent surgery for degloving injury of leg. Most of them were young males between 5-45 years of age resulting mainly from different types of accidents. 2 out of 15 [13.3%] patients having, musculocutaneous flaps developed wound infection. 1 out of 5 [20%] with local rotational flaps, 2 out of 5 [40%] with cross leg flaps and 3 out of 5 [60%] with decortication developed wound infection. 14 out of 15 [93.3%] patients with muscle and musculocutaneous flaps while 4 out of 5 [80%] with local rotational flaps recovered within 3 weeks. Patients with cross leg flaps recovered after one month while patients with decortication recovered after forty five days. 13 out of 15 regained full function [86%] with muscle and musculocutaneous flaps while patients having local rotational flaps regained 100% full function. 4 out of 5 [80%] regained full function with cross leg flaps and 1 out of 5 [20%] regained full function with decortication. Muscle and musculocutaneous flaps for exposed tibia is safe and effective method of treatment having low rate of wound infection with wider coverage and decreased morbidity