The versatility of the free fibula osteocutaneous flow through flap in reconstruction of Forearm after Oncological resection

Abstract

In Oncological resection which involves
excision of tumour which includes dominant
vessel or co- dominant vessel and
the skeleton results in challenging reconstruction
to re establish perfusion to the
hand and establishing skeletal continuity
.This can be achieved by free fibula
flow through flaps wherein peroneal artery
constitute missing vessel segment at
the same time provide skeletal continuity
and cutaneous element for excisional defect
. Functional upper limb salvage has
become a possibility using vascularised
free fibula osteocutaneous flow through
flap. This study presents flow through
osteocutaneous flap for the salvage of
functional upper limb especially in those
cases in which dominant and codominant
vessels were sacrificed.We
have studied surgical reconstructions in
four patients. The giant cell tumor of distal
radius 2 cases and osteosarcoma of
distal radius 2 cases .
Tumors were removed radically and the
massive bone and soft tissue defect was
reconstructed by vascularized free fibula
osteocutaneous flow through flaps .In our
study with osteocutaneous flow through
fibula flap there were no operative or postoperative
morbidity and all the four patients
had good limb functions. The results were
found to be adoptable and good in upper
limb salvages.Vascularised free fibula osteocutaneous
flow through flap was found
to be useful for salvaging upper limb functions.