[The sural medial gastrocnemius island muscle flap to cover wound of infection on upper region of the tibial].
OBJECTIVE
To summarize clinical application of the sural medial gastrocnemius island muscle flap to cover wound of infection on upper region of the tibial.


METHODS
Nine patients (7 men, 2 women) with soft tissue defects on the upper region of the tibial underwent reconstruction with the sural medial gastrocnemius island muscle flap. The age ranged from 21 to 60 years old (mean, 34 years). The immediate coverage of the muscle flaps were performed by a meshed split-thickness skin graft. The donor site was closed directly. The donor leg was ipsilateral in all cases.


RESULTS
Only one case sustained superficial infection postoperative and the gradual wound healed by daily wound dressings. All the muscle flaps and skin graft had survived completely without major complication with satisfactory clinical results. All patients were followed-up for 13 months to 4 years (mean 21 months), the donor site was healing, there was no remarkable donor site morbidity.


CONCLUSIONS
The sural medial gastrocnemius island muscle flap is nourished by the medial sural artery. The muscle flaps seem to have highly vascularize, a constant vascular anatomy and a long vascular pedicle. The muscle flap is thin and suitable for repairing soft tissue defect on the upper region of the tibial.
Zhang
Gong-Lin
GL
Orthopaedics and Traumatology Hospital of Wenling City, Wenling 3175000, Zhejiang, China. 668zgl@163.com
Zhang
Ming
M
Guo
Ao
A
Ding
Fa-Ming
FM
Wang
Gan-Sheng
GS
Jing
Hao
H
Ling
Ai-Jun
AJ
Peng
Jun-Yang
JY
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000166:cytology*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D013977:Tibia / Q000293:injuries*; D014946:Wound Infection / Q000601:surgery*