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 veloci ty multiple trauma with bilateral open tibial fractures. At definitive orth opaedic and plastic surgical reconstruction 5 days post initial trauma, he was found preoperatively to have an existing deep venous thrombosis in his popliteal vein on one side. He underwent venous thrombectomy and had subseq uent successful latissimus dorsi flap transfer using the unblocked poplitea l vein as a recipient vessel. (C) 2000 The British Association of Plastic S urgeons.