ABSTRACT
Many authors have reported on transplantation of functioning free muscle to the upper
extremities, but few reports are available on functioning free muscle transfers to
the lower extremities, where injuries have hitherto been treated mainly with tendon
transfers. However, under suitable conditions, better results can be obtained using
a functioning free musculocutaneous flap transfer to treat extensor muscle loss in
the lower leg. The authors reconstructed the anterior extensors in two patients suffering
from lower-leg necrosis. Ankle-joint active dorsiflexion was restored, and dorsiflexion
in the ankle joint of about 0° was achieved; however, recovery of ankle-joint range
of motion was limited by contracture of the ankle joint, due to associated injury,
even when the strength and excursion of the grafted muscle were sufficient.
