What Happened?
A 58‑year‑old woman was in a serious car crash that left her with an open fracture of the tibia and fibula, plus a large loss of skin and soft tissue around the leg. The damage was so severe that doctors initially feared she might need an amputation.
How the Surgery Was Done
Step 1: Stabilizing the Bone
Trauma surgeons first placed an intramedullary nail inside the tibia. This metal rod keeps the broken bone aligned while it heals.
Step 2: Muscle Flap from the Back
Plastic‑surgery specialists took a muscle flap from the patient’s own back. Using microsurgical tools, they tiny‑stitched the flap’s blood vessels to vessels in the injured leg, giving the transplanted tissue a fresh blood supply.
Step 3: Second Flap for the Knee Area
A second flap, still attached to its original blood vessels, was moved to cover the area near the knee. This “pedicled” flap provided additional coverage without needing to reconnect vessels.
Recovery and Hospital Stay
After the six‑hour operation, the woman stayed in the hospital for just under a month. The medical team monitored her closely, but the public report does not detail her long‑term functional outcome.
Why This Matters for the Hospital
The procedure shows that Son Llàtzer can now handle complex reconstructive cases that previously had to be sent to larger referral centers. By combining trauma and plastic‑surgery expertise, the hospital keeps patients closer to home and reduces the stress of transfers.
Other Uses of Microsurgery
Microsurgical tissue transfer isn’t limited to leg injuries. It’s also used to rebuild tissue after tumor removal, treat severe burns, perform certain breast reconstructions, and fix other large‑area wounds that need healthy muscle and skin.
Conclusion
This successful microsurgical leg reconstruction marks a step forward for Son Llàtzer. It demonstrates the hospital’s growing ability to treat serious limb injuries on site, offering patients better access to specialized care and a higher chance of keeping their natural limbs.
Source
Images Credit: mallorcaglobalmag.es