Successful limb salvage in a case of pretibial soft tissue defects combined with Aeromonas hydrophila infection

Aeromonas hydrophila is a gram-negative bacterium that can act as an opportunistic pathogen. Generally, A. hydrophila infection-induced diseases are serious and violent and have a high mortality rate. This article reports a case of pretibial soft tissue defects complicated by A. hydrophila infection after open calf fracture surgery. This case report aims to enhance the understanding of this complex disease and to improve the associated clinical practice. In patients being assessed for the presence of this infectious disease, rapid pathogen identification is paramount to facilitate effective treatment. This report additionally highlights positive clinical outcomes with the use of flow-through inferior epigastric artery perforator flap dissociating implantation to repair soft tissue defects of the calf.