Closure of osteomyelitic and traumatic defects of the leg by muscle and musculocutaneous flaps.

A retrospective review was carried out of 17 muscle and musculocutaneous flaps in the leg performed for traumatic and osteomyelitic defects in two groups of patients. One group of ten patients with soft-tissue defects resulting from trauma underwent muscle flap coverage in nine and musculocutaneous flap cover in one. Nine of the ten healed uneventfully. The second group of seven patients with defects resulting from chronic osteomyelitis underwent muscle flap cover in two, musculocutaneous flap cover in three, and combined muscle and musculocutaneous flap cover in two. All seven of the flaps transposed healed well without recurrence of infection. This series illustrates that the technique of muscle and musculocutaneous flap transposition can provide a safe, relatively straightforward method of cover for defects of the leg from trauma and chronic osteomyelitis with predictable results.