Traumas are the most frequent cause of the need for reconstruction of the lower extremities. Other causes are the resection of tumors and the side effects of radiotherapy. In more complex cases and those where there is little local tissue availability, as in the distal third of the leg, tissue transfer with microsurgery is often necessary.
Open fractures
In these cases, the ideal is to cover the defect definitively within 3 days of the accident. This has been shown to reduce surgical complications and the risk of bone infection or osteomyelitis.
Bone defects
When there are bone defects, generally of more than 6 cm, as in some fractures of the femur or tibia, it is necessary to reconstruct the missing segment with more complex techniques. One of the options is to perform a bone transport, which is based on the regeneration capacity of the remaining bone. This involves cuts in the healthy bone and a long recovery period. An option in cases where there is no remaining bone or when you want to shorten the recovery period, is to perform a bone transfer with the help of microsurgery. This will restore bone continuity with well-vascularized bone and capable of supporting load.