title: Inferiorly based thigh flap for reconstruction of defects around the knee joint.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Soft-tissue defects around the knees are common in injured limbs and in the same injury the leg is often involved and the thigh is spared. Furthermore due to pliable and relatively lax skin, we have used inferiorly based thigh flap to reconstruct defects around knee joint.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to evaluate the use of inferiorly based thigh flap to cover soft-tissue defects over the proximal one-third of the leg, patellar region, knee, and lower thigh.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was conducted during the period between October 2011 and February 2013. Inferiorly based anteromedial thigh fasciocutaneous flap was performed on 12 patients and inferiorly based anterolateral thigh fasciocutaneous flap on four patients. The sites of the soft-tissue defects included patellar regions, infrapatellar region, upper one-third of leg, lower thigh, and over the knee joint.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients were evaluated post-operatively in terms of viability of flap, the matching of the flap with the recipient site, and donor site morbidity. All the flaps survived well except one which developed distal marginal flap loss, one in which wound dehiscence was noticed, and two in which mild venous congestion was observed. Venous congestion in two patients subsided on its own within 3 days. One patient with wound dehiscence achieved complete healing by secondary intention. Patient who developed distal flap loss required debridement and skin grafting. No appreciable donor site morbidity was encountered. Skin colour and texture of the flap matched well with the recipient site.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The inferiorly based thigh flap is a reliable flap to cover the defect over proximal one-third of the leg, patellar region, knee, and lower thigh.
authors.affiliation: Post Graduate Department of Burns, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, JNMC, AMU, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Md Sohaib
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Akhtar
authors.affiliation: Post Graduate Department of Burns, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, JNMC, AMU, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Arshad Hafeez
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Post Graduate Department of Burns, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, JNMC, AMU, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Mohammed Fahud
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Khurram
authors.affiliation: Post Graduate Department of Burns, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, JNMC, AMU, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Imran
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ahmad
keywords: Defect around the knee joint; inferiorly based thigh flap; perforator based flap