[Improvement of chronic pain syndrome by free tissue transfer. Report of two cases].

We report on two patients with chronic pain syndrome of a lower limb due to chronic constriction after radiation therapy in one case and to popliteal entrapment in the other. The patients had been in pain therapy for years and had achieved insufficient analgesia in one case and satisfactory analgesia in another case with high doses of morphine sulphate and other medication. Surgery was indicated for limb salvage in one patient, and for pain relief in the other patient. It consisted of decompression and defect reconstruction by free latissimus dorsi flaps. In both cases, after an uncomplicated follow-up, quick and complete weaning from the analgesics was possible. One of the patients is completely free of pain.