• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.134-138
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• 2000

Arthrodesis of the ankle joint is inevitable in the cases of severe arthrosis or defective bony structures around ankle joint. There have been many kinds of arthrodesis methods were introduced. In cases with failed athrodesis with previous arthrodesis surgery and neuropathic joints have difficulty to achieve fusion of joint with conventional methods. Authors underwent four cases of ankle fusion with vascularized fibular graft from 1997 in the cases of three failed fusions and one diabetic neuropatic joint. Two of four performed free vascularized fibular transplantation from contralateral side leg with microvascular anastomosis, two of four performed with pedicled fibular transposition to the ankle joint in same side leg. Three of four cases achieved arthrodesis average 9.2 months after surgery, one case was failed due to vascular thrombosis of the anastomosed site in diabetic neuropathic condition. The result of this technique revealed 75%(three of four) success rate and longer bone union time required. However, in these cases had no recommendable options with conventional bone graft and additional ankle joint fusions procedure because of poor bone quality and defect of distal tibia and talus portions. Free vascualrized fibular transfer to the failed athrodesis of ankle joint is one of the effective alternative methods in failed ankle fusion cases, especially the quality of the bone around previous fusion site is poor.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.88-94
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• 1998

Free vascularized fibular transplantation is one of the most useful living bone reconstructive procedure in microsurgical field. Concerning about donor site morbidity, the donor has minor problems of ankle stability and muscle power weakness and transient peroneal nerve symptoms. That problems can be minimized with longitudinal splitted osteotomy on the donor fibula if the bone defect in recipient site is not so large. Half splitted fibula with peroneal arterial pedicle which contains nutrient artery and periosteal vessels, grafted bone can survive with those vascular supplies. Authors underwent five cases of half splitted free vascularized fibular transplantation from 1985. There were no evidence of devascularization in all cases, we can minimized donor morbidity with leaving half fibula intact on donor site. The problem of that technique is technically demanding in longitudinal splitting of bone without damage to peroneal nutrient vessels and periosteal soft tissues which attached to the bone. Authors can propose longitudinal half fibular transplantation is one of modification in free vascularized bone transplantation that minimize donor defect.