title: Femur-fibula-fillet of leg chimeric free flap for sacral-pelvic reconstruction.
abstract: We describe the first case of a femur free flap in which we utilized the femur to restore pelvic ring continuity following a combined external hemipelvectomy-sacrectomy for cancer. We feel that the femur flap can be an important reconstructive tool for load-bearing bony reconstruction of the pelvis and spine when lower extremity amputation is required. We also utilized a fibula flap to stabilize the spine and a fillet of leg flap to provide soft tissue coverage as part of a chimeric femur-fibula-fillet of leg free flap from the same limb, allowing us to reconstruct a large, complex defect with "spare parts" from the discarded lower extremity, thereby totally eliminating any donor site morbidity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Aisha J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: McKnight
authors.forename: Valerae O
authors.initials: VO
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Laurence D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Rhines
authors.forename: Matthew M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Hanasono
mesh_terms: D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005268:Femoral Vein / Q000601:surgery; D005269:Femur / Q000601:surgery*; D005360:Fibula / Q000601:surgery*; D058752:Free Tissue Flaps / Q000098:blood supply; D006428:Hemipelvectomy; D006801:Humans; D007083:Iliac Artery / Q000473:pathology; D007084:Iliac Vein / Q000473:pathology; D007085:Ilium; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D012516:Osteosarcoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: External hemipelvectomy; Femur free flap; Fibula free flap; Fillet of leg free flap; Pelvic reconstruction; Sacrectomy; Sarcoma