Free vascularized thin corticoperiosteal graft.

This paper describes a new thin corticoperiosteal graft harvested from the medial condylar and supracondylar areas of the femur. It is based on the articular branch of the descending genicular artery and vein and consists of periosteum with a thin (0.5 to 1.0 mm) layer of outer cortical bone. By retaining the cortex, the cambium layer is preserved, and this is thought to have a better osteogenic capacity than vascularized periosteal grafts. This graft was used to treat six patients with fracture nonunion of the upper extremity in which conventional treatment had failed. Uneventful bony union was achieved in all patients within 10 weeks.