Successful free flap transfer following venous thrombectomy in recipient vessel

We report the case of a 53-year-old male patient who suffered a high velocity multiple trauma with bilateral open tibial fractures. At definitive orthopaedic and plastic surgical reconstruction 5 days post initial trauma, he was found peroperatively to have an existing deep venous thrombosis in his popliteal vein on one side. He underwent venous thrombectomy and had subsequent successful latissimus dorsi flap transfer using the unblocked popliteal vein as a recipient vessel.