Search

Background: Free vascularized fibula flap represents the gold standard vascularized bone graft for the management of segmental long bone defects after traumatic injury. The current study represents the largest retrospective multicenter data collection on the use of free fibula flap (FFF) for extremities' orthoplastic reconstruction after trauma aiming to highlight current surgical practice and to set the basis for updating current surgical indications., Methods: The study is designed as a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data between 2009 and 2021 from six European University hospitals. Patients who underwent fibula flap reconstruction after acute traumatic injury (AF) or as a late reconstruction (LF) after post-traumatic non-union of upper or lower limb were included. Only extra-articular, diaphyseal fracture were included in the study. Surgical data were collected. Time to bone healing and complications were reported as clinical outcomes., Results: Sixty-two patients were included in the study (27 in the AF group and 35 in the LF group). The average patients' age at the time of the traumatic event was 45.3 ± 2.9 years in the AF group and 41.1 ± 2.1 years in the LF group. Mean bone defect size was 7.7 ± 0.6 cm for upper limb and 11.2 ± 1.1 cm (p = .32) for lower limb. Bone healing was uneventful in 69% of treated patients, reaching 92% after complementary procedures. Bone healing time was 7.6 ± 1.2 months in the acute group and 9.6 ± 1.5 months in the late group. An overall complication rate of 30.6% was observed, with a higher percentage of late bone complications in the LF group (34%), mostly non-union cases., Conclusions: FFF reconstruction represents a reliable and definitive solution for long bone defects with bone healing reached in 92% cases with a 8.4 months of average bone healing time., (© 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: The medial sural artery perforator (MSAP) flap shows advantages for reconstruction in the foot and ankle, where bulk is a liability. We evaluated the versatility of this flap and provide further evidence on its use for covering small-to-moderate size defects by comparing the outcome depending on the region of reconstruction., Methods: Twenty-two patients with variable defects of 4 × 4 to 18 × 7 cm underwent MSAP flap reconstruction. Final outcomes of all patients were evaluated 12-months postoperatively using the AOFAS ankle-hindfoot, midfoot and hallux scale for clinical-functional evaluation, and the SF-36 health survey for quality-of-life measurement. The scores were compared in three groups according to the anatomic region of MSAP flap reconstruction., Results: The flap size ranged between 6 × 4 and 21 × 9 cm. One venous congestion was salvaged by venous thrombectomy and reanastomosis, and one marginal flap necrosis healed by secondary intention. All flaps survived, and all patients returned to ambulation. Patients with reconstruction of the ankle-hindfoot or hallux showed significantly lower AOFAS ankle-hindfoot (P = 0.021) or hallux scores (P = 0.034), whereas reconstruction of the midfoot led to equal AOFAS midfoot scores (P = 0.265) as compared with patients without reconstruction in the respective region. Comparison of SF-36 physical (P = 0.936) and mental (P = 0.855) scores of all three regions remained insignificant., Conclusion: The MSAP flap provides thin soft tissue coverage, enabling good functional recovery after defect reconstruction all around the foot and ankle, with evident advantages in the midfoot. However, the functional outcomes after reconstruction of the ankle-hindfoot or hallux region depend on the preexistent functional impairment., (© 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)