[The peroneus brevis muscle flap-plasty. A simple procedure for covering fibular soft tissue defects after...

Fractures in the region of the ankle associated with soft tissue trauma often present a problem for the traumatologist. After osteosynthetic repair, primary closure of the skin may be prevented by soft tissue oedema or a local circulatory disorder. However, it is necessary for the wound to be closed in such a way that the fibula and metal implant are covered with vital soft tissue. The peroneus brevis muscle flap represents a local and simple method of covering soft tissue defects in the region of the distal fibula. With help of this flap it is possible to cover defects of up to 20 x 4 cm without disinsertion of the tendon. After performing anatomical studies, we successfully performed the above-mentioned technique on 21 patients. At no stage did we observe ischaemia or necrosis of the muscle flap. Our modification of the peroneus brevis muscle flap is a reliable and simple method for routine management of soft tissue defects in the fibular region by the traumatologist.