Vascularized periosteal bone graft from the supracondylar region of the femur

Abstract

Free, vascularized thin corticoperiosteal grafts and small pe‐riosteal bone grafts harvested from the supracondylar region of the femur are described. These grafts are nourished from the articular branch of the descending genicular artery and vein. Thin corticoperiosteal grafts consist of periosteum with a thin layer of outer cortical bone and include the cambium layer, which has a better osteogenic capacity. This graft is elastic and readily conforms to the recipient bed configuration. Thin corticoperiosteal grafts were used to treat 11 patients with fracture non‐union of an upper extremity that had no massive bone defects. Early, rapid union occurred in all patients except three: one in which the anastomosed vessel became obstructed and two in which the internal fixation of the fracture was unsecured. The small bone grafts consist of periosteum, full thickness cortex, and the underlying cancellous bone. This graft can be successfully harvested without disturbing the vascularity, unlike the currently used vascularized bone grafts. This graft was used to treat three patients with avascular necrosis of the body of the talus and could prevent the necrotic talus body from progressive collapse in patients in early stages of the disease. One patient with an infectious bone defect of the first metatarsal bone was successfully treated by vascularized bone graft with an accompanying skin flap.