[Transplantation of free medial leg skin flap to bridge over electric burns at wrist].

Twelve wrists (in 11 patients) with electric burns were covered by the transplantation of free medial leg skin flaps. It was successful in 10 but failed in 2. Our experience is summarized as following: 1. The skin flaps can serve as bridge to allow blood to go through as well as good coverage for the wound. When the ulnar artery and the radial artery are injured, we can obtain a long segment of the posterior tibial artery, and portions of it can be used to repair these arteries. In this series two hands were saved with good function in three years follow-up. 2. The sites of the skin flaps are concealed. Harvesting of the flaps does not impaired the function of the donor site. Thickness of the flaps is adequate. The flaps are not excessively bulky. The anatomical site of the posterior tibial artery is constant. The calibre of the posterior tibial artery is similar to that of the radial arteries. The rate of success of the operation is high.