[Anatomical study and clinical application of medial femoral condylar bone flap pedicled with the saphenous vessels].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate a new operative method for repairing nonunion and defect of tibia.


METHODS
First, observe the relation between the joint branches of descending genicular artery and the saphenous branch of descending genicular artery in 10 cadevers. Then the medial femoral condylar bone flap pedicled with the saphenous vessels was prepared in 4 cadavers for simulated purpose. Clinically, two patients with tibial nonunion were treated by transplantation of this pedicled bone flap.


RESULTS
In the 4 simulated operations, the ink which was injected into the femoral artery could be released from the joint branches. And in the clinical operation, the area of the pedicled bone flaps were 5.0 cm x 2.0 cm x 1.5 cm and 4.5 cm x 1.5 cm x 1.5 cm respectively. Followed up for 8 to 12 weeks, the fracture unioned well.


CONCLUSIONS
This operation is simple and reliable, it is characterised by 1. unnecessary to anastomosis the vessels 2. reliable blood supply 3. high quality of bone flap 4. either bone flap or bone-skin flap can be chosen 5. long vessel pedicle.
Zhang
Z F
ZF
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, General Hospital of Fengfeng Coal Mining Bureau, Handan Hebei, P. R. China 056200.
Yang
L G
LG
Han
S J
SJ
D000328:Adult; D016025:Bone Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000601:surgery; D005599:Fractures, Ununited / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007717:Knee / Q000098:blood supply; D008297:Male; D012501:Saphenous Vein; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply*; D016909:Tibial Arteries / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000601:surgery*