Purpose of the study: The difficulty of achieving successful reconstruction after tissue loss involving the lower third of the leg, particularly the malleolar region in septic cases, is well known. We report our experience with sequential surgery to treat open fractures of the lower leg and examine the contribution of the distally-based neurocutaneous sural flap.

Material and methods: The following protocol was used for the treatment of tissue defects involving the lower third of the leg and the ankle in 16 patients: repeated wound debridement, change in fixation system for 13 cases, rapid cover of the posterior segment of the leg with an island-dissected distally based neurocutaneous sural flap. Ten nonunions were treated later with a bone graft. Mean age in this series of 14 men and 2 women was 34 years (range 21–70 years). Thirteen patients were secondary hospitalization patients. The Gustilo classification after debridement was class IIIb. Time to cover ranged from one to eight months.

Results: Healing was achieved in three weeks. For three cases, revision was necessary due to re-activation of an infectious focus. All fractures healed (with tibiotalar fusion in two cases).

Discussion: The distally-based pediculated neurocutaneous sural flap is an interesting alternative to microanastomosis flaps for reconstruction of tissue defects of the lower third of the leg. Harvested from the posterior aspect of the calf which is generally spared, this flap must be carefully planned since there is no potential for augmenting the covering capacity. Great care must be taken to protect the pedicle; in our experience tunnelisation must be avoided. This flap also allows cover of a sterile osteosynthesis plate and resists local infection well. It can be raised easily if a bone graft is later necessary. In trauma victims, the esthetic and sensorial prejudice can be considered minor.

Conclusion: The distally-based neurocutaneous sural flap greatly contributes to our strategy for the management of tissue defects involving the lower third of the leg. Its main limitation is its size which can rarely exceed 80 cm2 in our experience.

Purpose: Prognosis of open leg fractures is better when cover flaps are used early to cover tissue loss. Beyond eight days after high-energy trauma (Byrd stage III and IV), the therapeutic strategy requires discussion. The purpose of this study was to analyse the influence of flap covers on these complex fractures.

Material and methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 26 patients operated on from 1996 to 201. The therapeutic sequence was debridement, external fixation, and flap cover. High-energy trauma predominated (n=21). We used homolateral leg flaps (n=24, ten muscle flaps and 14 fasciocutaneous flaps) and free latissimus dorsi flaps (n=2). Flap cover was performed on day 8 (n=13), between day 8 and day 45 (n=11), or after day 45 (n=2).

Results: Cover flaps failed in eight cases requiring revision surgery. Time to cover or type of flap was not statistically related with initial severity of the injury. Time to cover influenced the type of flap chosen by the surgeons: 8/13 muscle flaps performed before day 8 versus 10/13 fasciocutaneous flaps after day 8 (p< 0.05). Complementary bone grafts were used for 18 patients before the third month leading to bone healing before ten months. Serious infection occurred in 16.6% of patients in the group treated before day 8 and in 36.66% of patients in the group treated after day 8. The severity of the initial injury and time to cover were not predictive of functional outcome.

Discussion: Proper management of high-energy leg fractures (Byrd stage III and IV) remains controversial. Most authors prefer external fixation to achieve skeletal stability. The growing interest for plastic surgery techniques for the leg segment has led to using locoregional homolateral leg flaps even after day 8. At this phase, we prefer muscle flaps. This attitude has demonstrated its usefulness in terms of healing time and its limitations due to the high risk of infection. Complementary bone grafting is performed before three months if signs of correct bone healing are absent on the control x-rays.