The Versatile Gastrocnemius Myocutaneous Flap

What Factors Influence the Success of Medial Gastrocnemius Flaps in the Treatment of Infected TKAs?

“…It is possible that earlier ROM of the knee after flap coverage may have improved functional outcomes, however, investigators who reported ranging the knee as early as 10 days also reported a higher rate of wound complications [19]. Although sensation in the flap is poor, the functional loss and comorbidity associated with the flap is generally minimal because of compensation provided by the remaining soleus and hemigastrocnemius muscle [11,18]. For these reasons and ease of surgical accessibility and reach of the flap, we continue to prefer the medial gastrocnemius for soft tissue cover at revision TKA for full thickness defects at or distal to the inferior pole of the patella, or for surgical incisions that cannot be closed under appropriate tension.…”

The gastrocnemius muscle flap for coverage of soft tissue defect of the proximal third of lower leg

“…However, the lateral head has to be rotated around the proximal fibula, therefore, it has a lower rotation angle than the medial head. There is an option to safely harvest a skin paddle overlying the muscle [3]. The gastrocnemius muscle flap is probably one of the safest flap, however, muscle flaps for reconstruction of legs are generally not free of any complications.…”

Transposição do enxerto vascularizado da fíbula pro fêmur diafisário sem microanastomoses

“…McCraw et al 18 then McCraw and Dibbel 19 demonstrated that the skin adjacent to the muscles receives its vascular supply from perforating branches of the vessels that irrigate the muscle. McCraw et al 20 Morris, 21 Mathes and Nahai, 22 Salibian and Menick 23 and Cheng et al 24 further expanded the limits for use of the musculocutaneous gastrocnemius flap for defects in the distal third of the leg and thigh. The most refined study of the physiology of flaps based on perforating pedicle, in the last decade [25][26][27][28] , allowed the use of new local flaps in an island called propeller flaps.…”