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J Reconstr Microsurg 2000; Volume 16(Number 5): 341-346
DOI: 10.1055/s-2000-7343
Copyright © 2000 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc., 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA. Tel.: +1(212) 584-4662

RECTUS ABDOMINIS FREE-TISSUE TRANSFER IN LOWER EXTREMITY RECONSTRUCTION: REVIEW OF 40 CASES

Ramzi Musharafieh, George Macari, Shadi Hayek, Bassem El Hassan, Bishara Atiyeh
  • Divisions of Orthopaedic, Hand and Microvascular Surgery, and Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Lebanon
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Publication History

Publication Date:
31 December 2000 (online)

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ABSTRACT

Forty patients who underwent rectus abdominis free-tissue transfer with split-thickness skin grafts for reconstruction of the lower extremity are reported. The procedures were performed between January, 1992 and December, 1998. Transfers were utilized for coverage of acute soft-tissue and bone defects (18 patients), defects following radical debridement of chronic osteomyelitis of the leg and foot (13 patients) or diabetic foot ulcers (eight patients), and for unstable scars (one patient). At a mean follow-up of 3.6 years, there was no donor-site morbidity; there were seven local complications - five superficial flap necroses and two flap congestions. Three flaps were totally lost. All patients but one were ambulatory and fully weight-bearing at the time of review, with consolidation of the fractures and bone defects and no evidence of recurrence of infection in the osteomyelitis or diabetic foot ulcer groups.

The relatively high success rate (92.5 percent), the ease of surgical dissection, the consistency and size of the deep inferior epigastric pedicle, the absence of donor-site morbidity, and relatively low complication rates make the rectus abdominis muscle one of the preferable free-tissue transfers for these authors.

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