title: [Muscle pedicle flaps].
abstract: Muscle pedicle flaps are extremely useful for covering open fractures to provide a blood supply and replace loss of substance. Our experience is based on 44 flaps (26 done as an emergency) or which 5 failed. As an emergency the medial gastrocnemius (or possibly the lateral gastrocnemius) is the most used for tissue loss in the proximal third of the leg. Use of the overlying aponeurosis and skin allows to increase the radius of rotation to the middle third but with less effectiveness and more important sequellae.The soleus, either all of it or its medial half, allows cover to the middle third of the leg. Plexor digitorum longus, although more difficult to develop, allows one to cover the lower quarter of the leg.
authors.affiliation: Service d'Orthopédie-Traumatologie, CHR, Hôpital Notre Dame Bon Secours, F-57000, Metz, France.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hummer
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cuny