Distal vascular pedicle-hemisoleus to tibial length ratio as a main predictive index in preoperative flap planning.

The management of severe compound tibial fractures is aimed at obtaining osseous consolidation, proper cutaneous and muscular cover, absence of infection and restoration of limb function. A knowledge of the cutaneous and muscular vascularisation allows the surgeons to use many flaps in a rational and predictable manner. One of the most commonly used flaps is the soleus muscular flap. This may be used as a proximally or distally based muscular flap and the use of a hemisoleus flap has also been described. A morphometric analysis of the relation between tibial length and soleus vascular pattern provides a simple and reliable method for planning this flap preoperatively. The study was performed on fresh and preserved cadavers.