Wood Michael B
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, 4500 San Pablo Road, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA.
Orthop Clin North Am. 2007 Jan;38(1):1-12, v. doi: 10.1016/j.ocl.2006.10.007.
Thirty years after its introduction vascularized fibula transfer remains an important tool for all surgeons dealing with particularly challenging bone reconstruction problems. It should be a consideration when simpler approaches either have failed or are expected to fail. It is particularly indicated for the reconstruction of massive bone defects associated with sepsis and bony non-unions associated with radionecrosis. The successful execution of vascularized fibular grafting, however, requires microvascular expertise and adherence to sound orthopedic principles for bone healing, including stable internal fixation, maximal bone-to-bone coaptation, and appropriate postoperative management regarding joint mobilization and weight bearing.
