• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.54-61
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• 1998

Free vascularized fibular is the most usuful bony donor of the long bone reconstruction in reconstructive microsurgical field. It has many benifits such as very strong strut tubular bone, very reliable vascular anatomy with large vascular diameter with long pedicle, minimal donor site morbity too. In that situations of the huge long bone defects in distal femur or proximal tibia, the defective bony shape and strength of the transplanted fibular bone is not enough if only one strut of the fibula is transfered. The bony circulation of the fibula has two ways, one from nutrient artery via peroneal artery through nutrient foramen which makes endosteal arterial network inside of the fibula, another way is periosteal network through outside encircling vascular network of the bone which distributed in muscle sleeves of the fibular diaphysis. Authors modified free vascularized fibular bone graft with transverse osteotomy is made from the anterolateral aspect of the fibular shaft just distal to entry of the nutrient artery. This produces two vascularized bone struts that may be folded pararell to each other but that remain connected by the periosteum and muscle cuff surrounding the peroneal artery and veins. The proximal strut is vascularized by both a periosteal and endosteal blood supply, whereas the distal strut is vascularized by a periosteal blood supply alone. This procedure can call "doule barrel" free vascularized fibular graft. We performed 7 cases of doule barrel fashined fibular transplantation on distal femur and proximal tibial large defects. Average bone union time takes 7 months from that procedure. There were no significant bone union time differences between both proximal and distal struts. After solid union of the transfered double barrel fibular graft, there were no stress fracture in our series. We can propose double barrel free vascualized fibular graft is usuful method in that cases with very large bone defect on large long bones especially metaphyseal defects.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.130-135
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• 2004

Purpose : To observe the patency of anastomosis site and the findings of circulation of grafted fibula in osteonecrosis of femoral head treated with vascularized fibular graft by use of digital subtraction angiography. Materials and Methods : 17 cases of 11 patients who underwent vascularized fibula graft for osteonecrosis of femoral head. We performed digital subtraction angiography(DSA) for them at second week postoperatively in 12 cases, at sixth week in 1 case, at sixth month in 2 cases, at twelfth month in 1 case, and eighteenth month in 1 case which had been got DSA at second week before. We observe the patency of pedicle, and the circulation of grafted fibula such as periosteal and intraosseous vessels with time. Results : All cases except one which were thought failure of selective angiogram showed good passage of blood flow through anstomosed pedicle on DSA. We found the differences in appearance of circulation of grafted fibula with time. DSA at 2nd and 6th week postoperatively revealed both of periosteal and intraosseous vessels along the fibula and blood pooling at the tip of fibula. DSA at 6th month showed maintenance of periosteal and intraosseous vessels along the fibula but did not clearly reveal blood pooling at the tip of fibula. The findings of DSA at 12th and 18th month were similar each other. The periosteal vessels were not seen as the grafted fibular bone were incorporated into surrounding femoral bone but intraosseous vessels were still seen. Conclusion : It was thought that DSA could be used for evaluation of the status of pedicle including anastomsed site and vessels of grafted fibula with time. The periosteal vessels of fibula were decreased with time but intraosseous vessels were still seen until 18th month after vascularized fibula graft.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.97-107
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• 1999

The osteogenic capacity of the vascularized periosteum autograft has been extensively demonstrated by experimental works. The objective of this study was to characterize the behavior of experimental model of vascularized periosteal flap(VPF) by observing sequential stages of osteogenesis after simulated VPF in rabbits. In experimental group, segmental resection of bone including the periosteum was performed in 22 radii of 22 New Zealand white rabbits preserving the periosteal circulation of median artery to the periosteum. In order to simulate the transplantation of VPF, the vascular pedicle consisting of median artery and veins was dissected from adjacent soft tissue and the periosteum was longitudinally incised to remove the bone followed by repair of the periosteum. From the first to sixteenth week after the simulated VPF, the changes in VPFs were observed by radiological, light microscopical, scanning electron microscopical methods and the activity of osteocalcin was measured by immunohistochemical method. In control group, the bone tissue and periosteum were completely removed from the mid-shaft of radius and the findings were observed by radiological and light microscopical methods. From the results of this study, it is demonstrated that the experimental model of VPF is vigorously and uniformly osteogenic. Therefore it is thought that VPF can be used as a measure to treat bone defect of shaft of long bone.

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