Free vascularized fibula flap for forearm reconstruction. A case report

Background: Bony defects caused by tumour resection, infection or trauma poses a major challenge for the reconstructive team. Limb sparing is possible in a majority of these patients with numerous options in literature and is currently the treatment of choice. In Low and Middle-Income countries, the options are limited by their cost and available expertise. This case report highlights the use of a vascularized free fibular graft for forearm reconstruction following tumour resection in our institution.

Case Report: Mrs A.O, a 39-year-old school teacher who had wide local excision of a mass arising from the distal two-thirds of the right radius. The histopathology confirmed a giant cell tumour and had a defect measuring 20cm in the radius and 4cm of the distal ulnar which was bridged with a vascularized fibular and non-vascularized fibular graft respectively.

Conclusion: Autologous free vascularized fibular grafts (FVFG) are a valuable option for reconstructing large bony defects in resource-poor settings and have the potential for reduced complications as compared to other advanced methods.

Keywords: bone defects, vascularized fibular graft, microsurgery