title: Two for one: salvage of bilateral lower extremities with a single free flap.
abstract: It is thought that free muscle flaps may remain dependent on their original pedicle for more than 1-year postoperation, particularly in the lower extremity of patients with peripheral vascular disease. We present the first case report of bilateral lower extremity salvage with a single rectus abdominis myocutaneous free flap by transecting the main pedicle. The pedicle of the free flap, going to the contralateral extremity, was safely divided at 6-weeks postoperation. A tourniquet was used to compress the pedicle at the division point to assess viability of the flap distal to the point of occlusion prior to transection of the flap.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Reconstructive and Plastic Surgery, Stony Brook University Medical Center, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA.
authors.forename: Kwan N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Alexander B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Dagum
authors.forename: Duc T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Bui
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000672:Amputation Stumps / Q000098:blood supply / Q000601:surgery*; D005627:Frostbite / Q000601:surgery; D005734:Gangrene / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000150:complications*; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply