REINTRODUCING THE LATISSIMUS-RIB FREE FLAP AS A LONG BONE SUBSTITUTE IN THE RECONSTRUCTION OF LOWER EXTREMITY INJURIES (CASE REPORT)

The leg is a complex district with functions of weightbearing support, stability, and motility. The management of extensive and complex defects is more challenging and often results in leg amputation or shortening. Leg amputation is a severe mutilation that alters the patient’s work and social life by limiting ambulation and self-sufficiency. During a 3 years period we treated four patients with leg injury consisting of tibial defect who underwent one-stage surgery for soft tissue and bone reconstruction. The follow-up period was from 31 to 36 months. Time to bony unio‎n ranged from 4 to 7 months. Time to full weight bearing was from 5 to 9 months after operation. All of the transferred tissue showed hypertrophy after weight bearing. Nonunio‎n & abscess occurred in one case. Arterial thrombosis & valgus deformity were other postoperation complications. The limb was shorter by an average of 0.5 cm in three cases, longer by 1.1 cm in one case, and in the last case, it was not measurable. Other disabling complications were not seen. We believe that this forgotten method can be a valuable alternative to other techniques such as free fibula flap in certain cases that the surgeon can reconstruct bone & soft tissue defects in one stage.