Résumé
An anatomical study was carried out on 20 fresh and preserved cadaveric lower limbs after injection of the femoral artery by red latex. Muscular branches were given to the adjacent muscles and most of them continued as musculocutaneous arteries. Septocutaneous branches, 3-6, were given. A clinical study was also carried out on 20 patients suffered from traumatic tissue defects and exposed tibia, aged between 12 and 47 years. They were equally divided into two groups [A and B]. Their defects were treated using the proximally-and distally-based flaps sequentially. Two of the proximally-based flaps showed delayed necrosis of their distal ends [1.5 and 2 cm] that healed by conventional dressings. Skin grafting over the donor site was excellent in all cases of group A. One of the distally-based flaps showed delayed necrosis of its distal one-fourth that needed split thickness skin grafting. Another case of the same group [B] showed a partial loss of the immediate mesh skin grafting over the donor site which was healed by conventional dressings. Necrosis of the distal one-fourth of the distally-based flap may be explained by the anatomical fact that the lower third of the leg contains peroneal perforators with the least diameter and length