The Use of a Tetraminos Chimeric Free Flap in Lower Limb Trauma

Major trauma care has improved in the UK since the evolution and acceptance of specialist centers . A mission statement for major trauma care is “reduction in mortality and disability following trauma.” The care for extremity trauma has benefited from this specialization. Traumatic loss of skin integument in the extremities, especially over mobile joints, may lead to a compromised functional outcome. Modern reconstructive plastic surgery aims to provide flaps with minimal donor site morbidity. In this case report, we present the use of two chimeric flaps undertaken sequentially (one acutely and the second delayed) around the knee joint to allow a greater range of motion and function after a severe traumatic event. In this clinical case, the original tissue defects had meant that a free flap was used to reconstruct an open fractured bone, and split skin grafting was undertaken on the anterior aspect of the knee. The latter was then replaced after some months of recovery.