Reconstruction of the wound with osteomyelitis by free medical sural artery perforator myocutaneous flap

Objective To investigate the clinical effect of free medical sural artery perforator myocutaneous flap for repairingof the woundwith osteomyelitis. Methods 17 patients suffered from the wound with osteomyelitis were treated in the Ningbo First People′s Hospital, There were 11 males and 6 females with an mean age of 53.2 years (range, 21-76 years). The sizes of the defect ranged 5 cm×4 cm to 13 cm×6 cm. All patients underwent debridement and used antibiotic-loaded bonecement to cover the wound. Meanwhile, patients were treated with sensitive antibiotics, operation and free medical sural artery perforator myocutaneous flap were used to treat the wound. Preoperative use ultrasound and CT angiography to positioning perforator, The flap area ranged from 6 cm×4 cm to 13 cm×7 cm and the donor sites were closed directly. The author provided the patients with the treatment of anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic and anti-coagulantin the postoperative. Used infrared thermograms to assess the flap blood supply. Results One flap skin margin was non union due to poor blood supply.All of the other 16 flaps success survived and the donor sites were closed directly. Postoperative follow-up period was 4 to 23 months and the flaps had satisfied texture and appearance.All the donor sites had a good healing with no pain and complications, also the osteomyelitis was controlled. Conclusions The free medical sural artery perforator myocutaneous flap is reliable for reconstruction of the wound with osteomyelitis. Key words: Osteomyelitis; Medial suralartery perforator; Myocutaneous flap; Reconstruction