Annals of plastic surgery
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Annals of plastic surgery · Aug 1996
Case ReportsFemur lengthening with a vascularized tibia bone flap.
A vascularized tibial bone flap based on a single nutrient vessel has been previously proposed for use in long-bone reconstruction. While the routine use of the tibia for donor bone tissue is precluded by its essential weight-bearing function, in select cases it provides a useful alternative to standard donor bone sources. Cadaver dissection was performed to confirm the endosteal and periosteal vascular anatomy of the tibia. ⋯ Expanded use of tibial vascularized allografts in long-bone reconstruction may be made possible following future development of effective and safe immunosuppressive therapy. Transfer based on the posterior tibial pedicle, which includes the endosteal nutrient vessel as well as the periosteal supply via the tibialis posterior muscle, maximizes bone perfusion. The pedicle is of sufficient length to be used for positioning the tibia in the thigh or for free transfer to distant sites.