Microvascular free muscle flap reconstruction of soft-tissue defects with bone exposure after the distal tibial fracture / 中华创伤骨科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To present a method to treat soft tissue defects with bone exposure after the distal tihial fracture.Methods Twenty-six patients who had suffered from the distal tibial fracture complications leading to exposure of the bone or fixation material sought medical help in our department.The internal fixation material was removed and radical revision of dead and infected tissue was carried out in all cases.Five of the 26 cases were treated using a free microvascular muscle flap and the mesh skin graft by one stage.Twenty-one of them were re- paired with the same method by two-stage.Results Follow-ups were 10 to 24 months.The microvascular re- construction was successful in 22 patients.Two of the 26 cases had partial necroses of the skin graft,and the other two cases had delayed wound healing.All the fractures united.Conclusion Microvascular free muscle flap re- construction of the leg is regarded as a reliable method to treat legs with massive soft-tissue defects or defects with bone exposure and chronic infection or fistulation at the distal leg.