Reconstruction of bone and skin defect using the osteocutaneous free fibular graft.

The attempt to use an osteocutaneous free fibular graft (OCFFG) to reconstruct composite bone and skin defects of the extremities following trauma was carried out in eighteen cases. Ten of seventeen cases were successful with the method without surgical complications and bony union occurred after 3 to 6 months (average 5.2 months). Three cases had skin flap necrosis (2 partial and 1 total) and required further skin grafting or skin coverage. Four cases failed due to thrombosis of the vascular anastomosis. The procedure was abandoned in one case because of failure to identify a reliable septocutaneous vessel to the skin flap.