Treatment of the exposed knee prosthesis.
Ten knees with early tissue breakdown after knee arthroplasty resulting in exposed prostheses were treated with different plastic surgical techniques. Six knees were successfully covered: four using a gastrocnemius musculocutaneous flap, one using a fasciocutaneous flap, and one using split-skin grafts. Four knees failed: two using local skin flaps and two using split-skin grafts. A gastrocnemius musculocutaneous flap seems to provide a reliable coverage of the exposed knee joint.
Lund University Department of Orthopedics, Sweden.
S
S
Bengtson
A
A
Carlsson
M
M
Relander
K
K
Knutson
L
L
Lidgren
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007720:Knee Prosthesis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009336:Necrosis; D012086:Reoperation; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D013529:Surgical Wound Dehiscence / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*