Cross-Leg Flap Imobilized with External Fixator Brace

Seok Beom Lee

Copyright ⓒ 1993. Ewha Womans University School of Medicine. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Published Online: Jul 24, 2015

Abstract

Cross-leg flaps are used to provide thick skin coverage of bone and tendons. The calf is the donor site. The flap is based along the medial aspect of the tibia. Immobilization of both leg is essential. The commonly used cross-leg plaster casts cannot adjust the position of the legs when the flap is subjected to kinking or pressure. Author developed a External Fixator Brace with universal joint that enables the position of the legs to be controled. Six cases of cross leg flaps were immobilized by the External Fixator Brace and the fo11owing results were obtained.

1) Observation of the flap circulation was more feasible through the wider exposure when the External Fixator Brace was applied.

2) Cleansing of both the donor and recepient sites was easier because of the wider exposure when the Extemal Fixator Brace was applied.

3) Adjustment of position of the flap was possible using universal joint incorporated in the External Fixator Brace when the circulation of the flap was found to be compromised.