• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.44-48
• /
• 2000

The advent of free bone flaps has made successful replacement of extensive areas of bone loss in the upper and lower extremities. The microvascular free bone flaps have faster healing without bony absorption or atrophy and can heal in the hostile environment of scarred bed or infection. Since the fibula free flap introduced by Taylor and colleague in 1975, it has been used extensively for skeletal reconstruction of extremities. In 1988, the folded vascularized fibula free flap was first described as a technique to reconstruct significant long bone defect of upper and lower extremities. During the same time, the fibular free flap has evolved to become most preferred choice of mandibular reconstruction. Up to present day, few reports have been made on the fibular free flap used for reconstruction of injured hand containing metacarpal bone and soft tissue defect. We present here our new and unique experiences with vascularized fibular osteocutaneous free flap as useful and satisfactory one for reconstruction of hand with composite defects.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
• /
• v.34 no.1
• /
• pp.85-90
• /
• 2012

The odontogenic myxoma is a relatively rare, benign tumor that occurs on the jaw. A 41 year-old man visited Seoul National University Dental Hospital because of swelling of the mandible. Clinical and radiographic evaluation showed a huge mass invading most of the mandible. After biopsy, he was diagnosed with odontogenic myxoma. For resection of the lesion, partial mandibulectomy and reconstruction with a vascularized fibular free flap was done. The result showed successful removal of the lesion. Reconstruction resulted in satisfactory functional and esthetic outcomes. We conclude that huge benign neoplasms such as odontogenic myxomas can be successfully treated by using a wide margin of resection followed by vascularized fibular free flap reconstruction.

• Journal of the Korean Burn Society
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.58-65
• /
• 2019

Wound caused by high-tension electrical burns is difficult to manage because the wound is deep and complex. The wound is progressively necrotic due to microvascular injury resulting in deep tissue exposure. So, coverage of the wound at the entry point and the exit point is cumbersome, often requiring flap coverage. We experienced a case of one patient for peroneal artery perforator free flap coverage on the palm of the right hand of the entry point of electrical burn. The left foot wound of electrical exit point was covered by full thickness skin graft. Also a small wound was on the left side of the lower back was the exit point of electrical burn. The lower back wound was healed and recurred repeatedly after burn. On postburn day 6 month, through the radiologic exam, metal shadow was identified in the left gluteus muscle forming chronic sinus. We explored the wound of sinus and a foreign body was identified in the sac as multi braid wires thin as hair. According to the patient's past history, we suspected that the back wound was caused by electrical burn injury through the wires.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
• /
• v.35 no.6
• /
• pp.437-447
• /
• 2013

The fibula is one of the most useful sources for harvest of a vascularized bone graft. The fibula is a straight, long, tubed bone, much stronger than any other available bone that can currently be used for a vascularized graft. It has a reliable peroneal vascular pedicle with a large diameter and moderate length. There is a definite nutrient artery that enters the medullary cavity, as well as multiple arcade vessels, which add to the supply of the bone through periosteal circulation. The vascularized fibula graft is used mainly for long segment defects of the long tubed bone of the upper and lower extremities. It can provide a long, straight length up to 25 cm in an adult. The fibula can be easily osteotomized and can be used in reconstruction of the curved mandible. Since the first description as a vascularized free fibula bone graft by Taylor in 1975 and as a mandibular reconstruction by Hidalgo in 1989, the fibula has continued to replace the bone and soft tissue reconstruction options in the field of maxillofacial reconstruction. For the better understanding of a fibular free flap, the constant anatomical findings must be learned and memorized by young doctors during the specialized training course for the Korean National Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. This article reviews the anatomical basis of a fibular free flap with Korean language.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
• /
• v.13 no.1
• /
• pp.24-28
• /
• 2004

The vascularity of a skin island in fibula osteocutaneous free flap often depends on musculocutaneous perforators that find their origin in the proximal peroneal artery. But a potential drawback has been reported on the unreliability of the skin paddle. The perforating vessels to the skin paddle of the fibula osteocutaneous free flap were rarely derived from a common tibio-fibula trunk, an anterior tibial artery and a posterior tibial artery. Previous studies have emphasized total loss of the overlying skin paddle, if the expected perforating vessels are not present. We report here on our experience that the skin paddle of the fibula osteocutaneous free flap was vascularized not by a peroneal artery but a direct branch of the posterior tibial artery. There were no intraseptal nor intramuscular pedicles in the posterior crural septum which connected to the overlying skin island. Therefore, we performed microsurgical anastomoses between distal peroneal vessels of the fibula and the perforating branches of the posterior tibial vessels of the skin paddle. The anastomosed skin paddle was salvaged with a peroneal flow through vascular anastomosis and was transferred to the bone and intraoral soft tissue defects with the fibula graft. The patient had no evidence of vascular compromise in the postoperative period and showed good healing of the intraoral skin flap.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.68-74
• /
• 2008

Segmental defects of the tibia after open fractures, sepsis and a tumor surgery are among the most difficult and challenging clinical problems. Tibia defects in these situations are complicated with infection and are resistant to conventional bone grafting techniques. The aim of this study is to report the results and discuss the role of free flap followed by ipsilateral vascularized fibular transposition (IVFT) for reconstruction of tibia defects. Ten patients had free flap followed by IVFT in the period 1989~2007. Mean age was 25.3 years. The patients were followed for an average of 3.4 years. All flaps were survived including 1 case with venous thrombosis requiring additional surgery. The average time to union of proximal and distal end was 5.2 months, 8.2 months, each other. All transposed fibula were viable at last follow-up. IVFT offers the advantages of a vascularized graft. In patients with large bone and soft tissue defects combined with infection, free flap followed by IVFT is an useful and reliable method without microvascular anastomosis.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
• /
• v.13 no.1
• /
• pp.41-45
• /
• 2012

Purpose: Fibular osteocutaneous free flap is the procedure of choice for mandibular reconstruction. However, the anatomic consistency and the reliability of the skin paddle have been considered to be questionable and the utilization of the fibular osteocutaneous free flap can be challenging for the inexperienced surgeon. Preoperative computed tomography (CT) angiography can support revolutionary help with the operator design of the fibular osteocutaneous flap. The purpose of this article is to share the valuable experience of support with preoperative CT angiography. Methods: Three consecutive patients, who needed mandibular reconstruction, were treated with fibular osteocutaneous free flap. Each of the patients had undergone lower extremity CT angiography before the surgery. The CT angiographies were scrupulously investigated to calculate the locations and the tracts of the peroneal artery perforators. We compared the findings of the CT angiography with those of the real operation. Results: The information about the perforators was sufficiently matched with the findings of the operation. With the use of preoperative CT angiography, we were able to achieve confident performance during operation, shortening of operation time, and fine outcomes with a no flap failure. Conclusion: The CT angiography of lower extremity can provide reliable information of the perforators of the fibular osteocutaneous free flap.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
• /
• v.28 no.6
• /
• pp.579-585
• /
• 2006

Introduction: The fibular free flap is now considered as the first choice for long mandibular discontinuity defect. In spite of its good bone quality for implant installation, its diameter is too narrow to rehabilitate the masticatory function with implant installation. In this report, distraction osteogenesis was used for the augmentation of bone to install the dental implant in the mandible which was reconstructed with a vascularized fibular free flap. Patients and Methods: Three patients undertook the vertical augmentation of grafted fibular bone and dental implants were installed. On the day 8 post-surgery, the activation of the distractor was started at the rate of 1 mm twice a day. The total amount of distraction was 15 mm in two patients and 12.5 mm in one patient. Twelve implants were installed in three patients. Dental implants were simultaneously installed during removal of the distraction device in two patients. In one patient, the implant installation was delayed after device had been removed. All three patients showed the symptoms of mild to severe postoperative infection during the activation and consolidation. However, the distracted site showed undisturbed bone regeneration. Conclusion: The distraction osteogenesis showed the reliable results for the vertical augmentation of fibular bone which was used for the mandibular reconstruction. However, the great tendency of postoperative infection must be considered and clinically controlled.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
• /
• v.30 no.6
• /
• pp.572-576
• /
• 2008

Gorham-Stout disease is a rare skeletal disease which is progressive and spontaneous and idiopathic resorption of whole body bone. In the initial stage, the osteolytic site is replaced by histologically benign vascular proliferation without new bone formation and finally by dense fibrous tissues. We encountered with a patient involving the mandible with attention by the clinical, radiographic, scintigraphic, angiographic, and computed tomography. We resected the mandibular lesion which was reconstructed with a fibular free flap. We report literature review with a mandibular lesion involved with Gorham-Stout disease.