title: Reconstruction of large infected tibia defects.
abstract: Twenty-nine patients are reported who underwent free tissue transfer reconstruction of contaminated tibia defects with both soft tissue defects and osteomyelitis. Infection was controlled through the use of a two-stage composite tissue reconstruction. In the first stage, the wounds were closed with the free muscle or skin flap. Bone defects were bridged with vascularized bone grafts within 6 to 12 weeks after soft tissue closure. Twenty patients underwent reconstruction using iliac crest, whereas nine patients were treated with fibular transfer. The follow-up period for 28 patients ranged from 10 months to 6 years until bone union was completed. The bone united smoothly in 22 patients, but union of the other six grafts was delayed and required additional cancellous bone grafting.
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Microsurgery, Vilnius University, Lithuania.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vitkus
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vitkus
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005597:Fractures, Open / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods*; D010019:Osteomyelitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D011859:Radiography; D012086:Reoperation; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000379:methods*; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D014946:Wound Infection / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*