PARTIAL SOLEUS MUSCLE ISLAND FLAP TRANSFER USING MINOR PEDICLES FROM THE POSTERIOR TIBIAL VESSELS

A new method for partial soleus muscle island flap transfer using minor pedicles from the posterior tibial vessels was designed and executed. A portion of the soleus muscle body that was slightly wider than the defect was harvested with minor pedicles. The muscle flap was transposed by turning it over or by creating an island flap. Skin grafts were applied to the exposed muscle. This new type of muscle flap was applied to six patients with a pretibial skin defect at the lower third of the leg. It was used for treatment of an open fracture with an associated skin defect in four patients, chronic osteomyelitis in one patient, and a recurrent stasis ulcer in one patient. In all patients the transferred muscle flap survived completely.