Clinical experiences of the pedicled extensor digitorum brevis flap

The extensor digitorum brevis muscle of the dorsum of the foot is well suited both anatomically and from the point of functional deficit to use as a pedicled muscle flap in the lower parts of the leg. We demonstrate the extensive anatomical reach of the flap and our results in a series of 16 patients who required reconstruction, in 15 of whom the flap survived successfully. Even the flap that failed partly achieved its goal in that its application induced enough granulations on the exposed anterior tibial tendon for a skin graft to take.