Muscle Transpositon in the Treatment of Soft Tissue Defect of the Leg

Kim, Ik Dong; Lee, Soo Young; Kim, Poong Taek; Park, Byung Chul; Choi, Young Wook; Kim, Jong Yun

Abstract

The management of chronic osteomelitis of the tibial diaphysis and certain post-traumatic defects of the lower extremity is extremely difficult. the diverse methods of treatment signify current dissatisfaction with any single method. Recently, the muscle transposition technique has gained an accepted place in treating wide soft tissue defect with bone exposure. Popularized by Ger, Vasconez, Pers, Mc Hugh and others, this technique is generally simple, safe, and reliable, The 21 patients who treated by muscle transposition at the Kyungpook National University Hospital between 1980 and 1987 were reported. The results were as follows :l. 19 patients were males and 2 were females. 2. The cause of lesion were 8 cases of open fracture, 10 cases of chronic osteomyelitis, chronic ulcer 1 case, malignent melanoma 1 case, burn scar contracture 1 case. 3. The muscles used for transposition according to lesion site of leg were as follows. Medial head of gastrocnemius was transposed in 2 case of knee and 4 cases of proximal 1/3 lesion, 11 cases of middle l/3 lesion was used soleus, 1 cases were gastrocnemius after soleus, 1 case was tibialis anterior, 2 cases of distal 1/3 were used each 1 case of solus, 1 case of F.H.L. 4. All cases were healed within 2 to 3 weeks after muscle transposition, and this technique seemd to afford favorable influence upon the healing of fracture and the eradication of infection.