title: [Reconstruction of soft-tissue defect in the middle and distal thirds of the leg with the soleus muscle flap].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the efficacy of surgical method with the soleus muscle flap for repairing the soft-tissue defects in the middle and distal thirds of the leg, combined with open tibial fracture and/or osteomyelitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  From May 2007 to December 2011, 8 cases with soft-tissue defects in the middle and distal thirds of the leg were treated with soleus muscle flaps, including 5 cases with chronic osteomyelitis and 3 cases with open tibial fracture and acute osteomyelitis. The defects size ranged from 8 cm x 6 cm to 12 cm x 10 cm. The surface of muscle flaps was covered by split-thickness skin graft. The defects at the donor site were closed directly.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All the muscle flaps and skin grafts survived completely and fracture was healed. The patients were followed up for 2 to 54 months with satisfactory cosmetic and functional results.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The soleus muscle flap is an effective and feasible method for reconstruction of the soft-tissue defects in the middle and distal thirds of the leg, combined with open tibial fracture and/or osteomyelitis. The morbidity at donor sites is also minor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Burns Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China.
authors.forename: Li-Fu
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Mo-Xuan
authors.initials: MX
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hong-Wei
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zuo-Qiong
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Hou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005597:Fractures, Open / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007869:Leg Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000637:transplantation; D010019:Osteomyelitis / Q000150:complications; D017695:Soft Tissue Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000150:complications; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult