Knee-saving Amputation by Use of a Bipedicled Four-zone Deep Inferior Epigastric Artery Perforator Flap

Abstract

Summary: Degloving traumatic lower extremity injuries can lead to an above-knee amputation with decreased functional capacity compared with below-knee amputation. The unique properties of the deep inferior epigastric artery perforator flap providing a substantial amount of skin and subcutaneous tissue combined with reliability and low donor-site morbidity makes the flap ideal for coverage of below-knee amputation stumps when soft tissue is required. A bipedicled four-zone deep inferior epigastric artery perforator flap with a skin area of 13 × 33 cm was used as coverage of a degloved lower leg amputation stump, in a 27-year-old woman with a left-sided Gustillo type 3B comminute diaphyseal tibial fractur and major degloving injury. Hereby, above-knee amputation was avoided. Ten months postoperatively the patient had achieved full prosthetic function.