Osteomuscular latissimus dorsi scapula flap to repair chronic, posttraumatic osteomyelitis of the lower leg

Fractures of the lower leg with soft-tissue loss may be complicated by oste omyelitis. Many treatment plans offered in the past have included the use o f vascularized bone, but the soft tissue that accompanied the bone was some times less than ideal in quality as well as quantity. This study presents a one-step method for the surgical treatment of chronic, posttraumatic osteo myelitis that includes (1) radical debridement of the area affected by oste omyelitis, (2) use of revascularized bone for stabilization of the affected area, and (3) well-vascularized soft-tissue cover for the defect. The use of an osteomuscular latissimus dorsi scapula nap is described and illustrat ed by descriptions of five operations performed by the authors' department in Salzburg, Austria. The resultant healing of the bone was comparable to t he primary healing of a fracture.