Soft-tissue coverage of olecranon with musculocutaneous flexor carpi ulnaris flap

Coverage of the olecranon area is always challenging in traumatology. Because of the superficial situation of the bone, the absence of muscle, the thinness of the skin and the subcutaneous tissue locally, skin defects are not uncommon and can lead to exposure of hardware or prostheses. We report an original surgical technique using a musculocutaneous flap from the flexor carpi ulnaris (FCU) with a proximal pedicle to cover the olecranon area, detailing its limits and indications. The FCU flap has become our first-choice procedure to cover olecranon skin defects because of its low morbidity, its reliability, and its straightforward procedure, obviating the need for any microsurgery technique. Furthermore, it allows moving the elbow, immediately decreasing the risk of elbow stiffness. (C) 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.