For decades the treatment of chronic post-traumatic osteomyelitis associated with bone exposure has been one of the most serious problems in the field of orthopaedic surgery. “Sterilisation” of the osteomyelitic site, that is radical débridement of all infected tissue, is the basic requirement of the treatment; in the past, the remaining defect of the débrided area was closed with skin grafts, which were removed in a further stage when the infection had cleared; then the defect was filled with muscle flap and bone graft of various types. Both soft tissue and osseous reconstruction took a relatively long period of time, requiring several-stage treatment. Over the years, introduction of microsurgery led to free muscle flaps and skin graft in one reconstruction setting in the 1970s and thin fascio-cutaneous flap reconstruction in the 1980s, allowing a shorter period of hospitalisation and an improvement in patients’ lifestyle.

We performed a retrospective study of 22 patients treated for chronic osteomyelitis (middle or distal 1/3 of the leg, n=10; tarsus, n=6; forearm, n=6) by means of free vascularised bone graft or composite grafts between 1992 and 2003. In most of them a two-stage treatment was performed (resection and sterilisation in the first stage and bone transfer in the second one); in others a one-stage treatment was performed.

In 78.5% of cases the infection was cured without requiring secondary procedures; revision of the flap was carried out in 12.3% of cases. In only one case leg amputation under the knee was necessary.

In spite of advanced treatment protocols, persisting infection and residual functional deficit is not rare. Over the years the approach has changed. The application of microsurgical tissue transfers for reconstruction of the extremities allows repair of significant bone and soft-tissue defects. A wide variety of free flaps offers the potential to reconstruct nearly any defect of the limbs. The total array of flaps and their indications is beyond the scope of a single discussion, but this paper focuses on a few flaps that have found application for coverage and functional restoration of the limbs.

Microsurgical transfers allow more radical débridement of the area affected by osteomyelitis with low peri-operative morbidity, reducing the number of procedures required to obtain bony union and subsequently effect a quick “return to work”. In management of chronic, post-traumatic osteomyelitis with soft-tissue loss, we prefer a well-vascularised muscle flap rather than a fascio-cutaneous flap (its important vascular supply helps reduce bacterial contamination).