[Muscular and osteomuscular peroneus brevis flaps].

OBJECTIVE: Soft tissue defect reconstruction by transposition of well-vascularized muscle tissue with a muscle flap and as an osteomuscular flap together with a fibular bone segment for combined skeletal and soft tissue defects. INDICATIONS: Small- and medium-sized defects of the hindfoot, around the ankle and the distal and middle third of the lower leg, skeletal reconstruction of underlying small- and medium-sized bone defects. CONTRAINDICATIONS: Lesions of the proximal anterior tibial artery (proximal pedicled flap), combined lesions of the distal peroneal artery including the communicating branch with the posterior tibial artery (distal pedicled flap); lesion or paralysis of the peroneus longus muscle in an intact ankle joint. SURGICAL TECHNIQUE: Distally pedicled flap: blunt separation between the peroneus longus and brevis muscle, subperiosteal release with isolation on a distal septocutaneous branch of the peroneal artery. To increase perfusion, the proximally released branch of the anterior tibial artery may be re-anastomosed in the recipient site. Proximally pedicled flap: dissection of distal peroneus brevis muscle tendon and subperiosteal release in a proximal direction with ligation of the segmental peroneal artery branches until the flap is isolated on its proximal anterior tibial artery branch. For an osteomuscular flap, simultaneous harvest of a fibula segment underneath the muscle origin with preservation of the intimate periosteal relationship between muscle and bone. POSTOPERATIVE MANAGEMENT: Complete immobilization and elevated leg position for 5 days, followed by successive orthostatic training for 10 days. Postoperative standardized compression garments for 6 months, eventually combined with silicone sheet scar therapy.
RESULTS: Reliable, excellent functional and aesthetic results with very low donor site morbidity.