مشخصات پژوهش

Lower extremity trauma due to a car crash or war mine explosion is still challenging. The early history of the lower extremity reconstruction dates back to the Hippocrates (460-370BC). Since then, until the First World War, amputation was the best option for saving the lives of the patients.(1) Sushruta Sumhita (600BC) was the first person who used the cheek flap for nasal reconstruction.(2) However, the new era of the flap reconstruction commenced during the First World War. Although in that time Stark was the first person who used muscle flap to cover lower extremity due to osteomyelitis, the first report of the lower extremity reconstruction by muscle flap was done by Ger.(2) Gastrocnemius muscle has also been used to cover the exposed implant of tibia and knee prosthesis.(3,4) Early coverage of the complicated wound of the tibia by the gastrocnemius muscle flap can prevent major complications.(5,6) Based on the Mathes and Nahai classification(7) for vascular pedicle, gastrocnemius muscle flap is classified as type one and it has one vascular pedicle. The gastrocnemius muscle flap is often used to cover soft tissue defects of the knee and the upper third of the leg. Its major benefits include minimal donor morbidity, easy harvest and reliability.(8)