Successful reconstruction of osteocutaneous defect of calcaneal area with allogeneic bone graft and anterolateral thigh flap

ABSTRACT

Calcaneus is a unique-shaped hindbone, therefore the reconstruction of complex osteocutaneous defects of heel-calcaneal area remain challenging. Management of a complex defect in the complicated calcaneal area with allogenic tibia and free anterolateral thigh flap is presented. A 37-year-old male patient was presented with a heel defect after a mine injury. The pa­tient underwent serial debridement, thereafter allogeneic proximal tibia defect was properly shaped, hammered and forged into the tibia medullary defect without any fixation material. The graft was covered with free sensate anterolateral thigh flap. The most important disadvantage of allogeneic bone grafts is the lack of blood supply. In the presented case, the blood supply of the bone graft was provided thanks to the blood supply from the medulla of the tibia. Therefore, it was possible to pass the blood inside the allograft. It can be predicted that this intramedullary vascularization also carries stem cells into the medium, further triggering recovery and regeneration.

Key words: Anterolateral thigh flap, bone graft, calcaneus, defect, heel