RECONSTRUCTION OF FOOD DEFECTS DUE TO MINE EXPLOSION USING MUSCLE FLAPS

Landmine explosions bring a formidable challenge to both patients and reconstructive surgeons. Free tissue transfer is the only method of re pairing such extensive soft tissue defects of the foot after serial de bridements. Sixty-five consecutive free muscle flap transfers were per formed in 54 patients who had fool defects involving soft tissue and b one due to mine explosions. Although posttraumatic vessel disease had complicated most of the cases, overall flap survival rate was 83%. Eac h patient was ambulatory. Ulceration in long-term period was seen in o nly one patient. Eighty-five percent of patients with successful bone reconstruction and 41.6% of patients without adequate bone replacement demonstrated normal weightbearing in footprints and gait analysis. Fr ee muscle flaps with split thickness skin graft and bone replacement a re recommended for the reconstruction of such devastating wounds. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.