Free vascularised fibula in augmenting allograft

Free vascularised fibula has been widely used for various reconstructive purposes. Fibula is the longest expendable source of cortical bone. It can be used to augment megalength allograft in limb salvage surgery. We are reporting two cases of segmental vascularised free fibula flap used to augment the allograft following wide resection of locally advanced limb tumours. Two cases of advanced skeletal malignancy were resected and reconstructed. A megalength allograft and a free vascularised segmental fibula flap were used in each case. The early outcome was excellent. There was no flap failure and both patients regained good limb mobility. Traditionally the treatment of locally advanced limb malignancy was amputation or desarticulation. Limb salvage surgery has spared patient from this mutilating procedures. The availability of endoprosthesis and allograft allowed extensive resection and subsequent reconstruction. The allograft, had significant associated complications such as infection, delayed union, fracture and resorption despite its advantages. Augmenting this allograft with a segmental vascularised free fibula flap will circumvent these potential complications. The allograft offers initial stability, strength and support while the vascularised fibula provide late stability. The segmental osteocutanceous fibula will hopefully induced accelerated osteogenesis. In out refinements of this technique we incorporated megalength allograft with multiple segmental cortical osteotomies of the free fibula flap. The early result of this new approach is very promising. Segmental osteocutaneous free vascularised fibula flap used in the augmentation of allograft potentially provide an attractive solution to minimize complications of megalength allograft in the limb salvage surgery