Calcaneal Fillet Flap: A New Osteocutaneous Free Tissue Transfer for Emergency Salvage of Traumatic Below-Knee Amputation Stumps

Abstract

Traumatic below-knee amputations do not always leave enough soft tissue of bone with which to fashion a stump of sufficient length and durability to support a prosthesis. Composite free flaps can often be harvested from the amputated limb to provide immediate one-stage stump salvage and to preserve knee function. We report a new technique to increase stump length by incorporating the calcaneus into a foot fillet flap as a vascularized bone transfer. The calcaneal fillet flap is a useful addition to the inventory of available composite flaps. It is recommended for knee joint salvage when there is less than 11 cm of tibial remnant length.