• Journal of International Society for Simulation Surgery
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.13-16
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• 2017

Fibular free flap reconstruction is the flap of the choice in long-span mandibular bone reconstruction. The most common disadvantage of the fibular flap is short bone height to install dental implant. Double barrel fibular flap has been tried, however, bulky flap in the oral cavity hinder its use. Titanium reconstruction plate has been used simultaneously with the free fibular flap to stabilize occlusion and to fix the fibular flap. In this study, titanium reconstruction plate was fixed in the lower border of the mandible and the fibular free flap was fixed in the superior border of the titanium plate to improve implant-crown ratio. This new technique improved the longevity of the dental prosthodontics with dental implants.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.54-61
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• 1998

Free vascularized fibular is the most usuful bony donor of the long bone reconstruction in reconstructive microsurgical field. It has many benifits such as very strong strut tubular bone, very reliable vascular anatomy with large vascular diameter with long pedicle, minimal donor site morbity too. In that situations of the huge long bone defects in distal femur or proximal tibia, the defective bony shape and strength of the transplanted fibular bone is not enough if only one strut of the fibula is transfered. The bony circulation of the fibula has two ways, one from nutrient artery via peroneal artery through nutrient foramen which makes endosteal arterial network inside of the fibula, another way is periosteal network through outside encircling vascular network of the bone which distributed in muscle sleeves of the fibular diaphysis. Authors modified free vascularized fibular bone graft with transverse osteotomy is made from the anterolateral aspect of the fibular shaft just distal to entry of the nutrient artery. This produces two vascularized bone struts that may be folded pararell to each other but that remain connected by the periosteum and muscle cuff surrounding the peroneal artery and veins. The proximal strut is vascularized by both a periosteal and endosteal blood supply, whereas the distal strut is vascularized by a periosteal blood supply alone. This procedure can call "doule barrel" free vascularized fibular graft. We performed 7 cases of doule barrel fashined fibular transplantation on distal femur and proximal tibial large defects. Average bone union time takes 7 months from that procedure. There were no significant bone union time differences between both proximal and distal struts. After solid union of the transfered double barrel fibular graft, there were no stress fracture in our series. We can propose double barrel free vascualized fibular graft is usuful method in that cases with very large bone defect on large long bones especially metaphyseal defects.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.28-34
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• 1999

The need for reconstruction of large bone, soft tissue defect of mandible has greater emphasis due to development of industry, traumatic accident and increase of tumor. The mandibular reconstruction had greatly progressed through the first and the second World Wars. The Fibular free flap by using microscope was reported in 1970 and many maxillofacial reconstructive surgeons had used. In 1988, Dr. Hidalgo first reported mandibular reconstruction by using fibular free flap. Mandibular reconstruction by using fibular free flap has several advantages. First, it provides up to 25 cm of bone, enough to reconstruct any length of mandible defect. Second, a skin island, based on a septocutaneous blood supply, is available in a size large enough to simultaneously reconstruct internal and external soft tissue defect. Third, The fibular donor site morbidity is low, fourth, it provides a esthetic effect of mandible line. And finally bone viability is good. The Fibular osteocutaneous free flap was performed after COMMANDO operation due to squamous cell cancer in oral cavity (15 cases). Therefore we report out successful operation of the mandible reconstruction by using fibular osteocutaneous free flap.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.157-164
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• 1998

It has been very difficult to managing partial joint defect in any etiologies, especially in children. Unicondylar defect of the tibial condyle in children reconstructed with proximal fibular head with articular cartilage from 1995. Two kinds of transfering methods were used, peroneal artery pedicled ipsilateral fibula head transposition to defective lateral tibial condyle defect that revealed poor prognosis with gradual absorption of transposed fibular epiphysis. Free vascularized fibular head transplantation with microvascular anastomosis underwent in the case with medial condyle defect of tibia which revealed very satisfactory results. Author can conclude with these clinical experiences: 1. Tranposition without epiphyseal vesssels intact is not sufficient in fibular head osteochondral transplantation in reconstruction of tibial condyle defect. That means peroneal arterial vascular pedicle is not enough for transplanted proximal epiphysis maintains its function on articular surface and growth activity in children. 2. The anterior recurrent tibial artery is one of the most important and easy to utilizing vessel in proximal fibular epiphyseal transplantation. 3. Free vascularized fibular head transplantation is hopeful method in reconstruction of the knee joint in the patient with partial joint defect which has no effective solution in conventional methods.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.38
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• pp.46.1-46.7
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• 2016

Background: Osteoradionecrosis is the most dreadful complication after head and neck irradiation. Orocutaneous fistula makes patients difficult to eat food. Fibular free flap is the choice of the flap for mandibular reconstruction. Osteocutaneous flap can reconstruct both hard and soft tissues simultaneously. This study was to investigate the success rate and results of the free fibular flap for osteoradionecrosis of the mandible and which side of the flap should be harvested for better reconstruction. Methods: A total of eight consecutive patients who underwent fibula reconstruction due to jaw necrosis from March 2008 to December 2015 were included in this study. Patients were classified according to stages, primary sites, radiation dose, survival, and quality of life. Results: Five male and three female patients underwent operation. The mean age of the patients was 60.1 years old. Two male patients died of recurred disease of oral squamous cell carcinoma. The mean dose of radiation was 70.5 Gy. All fibular free flaps were survived. Five patients could eat normal diet after operation; however, three patients could eat only soft diet due to loss of teeth. Five patients reported no change of speech after operation, two reported worse speech ability, and one patient reported improved speech after operation. The ipsilateral side of the fibular flap was used when intraoral soft tissue defect with proximal side of the vascular pedicle is required. The contralateral side of the fibular flap was used when extraoral skin defect with proximal side of the vascular pedicle is required. Conclusions: Osteonecrosis of the jaw is hard to treat because of poor healing process and lack of vascularity. Free fibular flap is the choice of the surgery for jaw bone reconstruction and soft tissue fistula repair. The design and selection of the right or left fibular is dependent on the available vascular pedicle and soft tissue defect sites.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.42-49
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• 2005

Between June 1989 and may 2004 Ipsilateral vascularized fibular transposition was performed on nine patients with segmental tibial defects combined with infection following trauma. Ipsilateral vascularized fibular graft was performed on two or three stage according to the degree of infection. Initially free vascular pedicled graft was done followed by ipsilateral vascularized fibular graft. Type of free flap used is scapular free flap 3 cases, latissimus dorsi free flap 5 cases and dorsalis pedis flap 1 cases. The patients were followed for an average of 3.4 years. the average time to union was 6.7 months, and in all patients the graft healed in spite of complication. Complication was free flap venous thrombosis in 1 cases, persistent infection in 1 cases, delayed bony union at the distal end of fibular graft in 2 cases. The results showed that more faster bony union was seen in which cases firmly internally fixated and more faster hypertrophy of graft in which cases was permitted to ambulate on early weight bearing and more faster healing in which cases debrided more meticulously. Reconstruction of tibia defect with free flap followed by Ipsilateral fibular transposition is a useful and safe method to avoid the potential risk of infection for patients with tibial large bone defect and soft tissue defect associated with infection.

• Korean Journal of Bronchoesophagology
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.118-126
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• 2000

A radical maxillectomy causes a defect of the alveolar bone, gingiva, palate, and orbital floor and causes cosmetical problems and masticatory and phonatory functions. Defect after a radical maxillectomy was reconstructed with skin or dermis graft was introduced, but recently wide resection of the tumor and functional reconstruction with free flap was introduced by several methods. The defect due to radical maxillectomy was reconstructed with scapula, iliac crest, radius. But reconstruction with a fibular osteocutaneous free flap was rarely introduced to defect of radical maxillectomy. The fibular osteocutaneous free flap was firstly introduced by Taylor. The fibular osteocutaneous free flap has several advantages. We experienced the first case of radical maxillectomy and reconstruction with the fibular osteocutaneous free flap, so we reported that case with literatures. The patient has a right maxillary sinus squamous carcinoma (T2N0M0), and performed a radical maxillectomy with right supraomohyoid neck dissection, and reconstruction with fibular osteocutaneous free flap. Donor site morbidity was little, and phonatory and masticatory function were nearly normalized. And cosmetical result was very acceptable.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.169-174
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• 2009

Purpose: To evaluate the clinical results between interlocking intramedullary nail with fibular fixation and nail only for treating distal tibiofibular diaphyseal fractures. Materials and Methods: From March 2003 to September 2006, 19 distal tibiofibular fractures were antegrade nailed after anatomical reduction and fixation of fibular fractures, and another 37 fractures fixed with nails only. Average age of patients was 48.6 years. These two groups were compared by VAS (visual analogue scale) & ankle ROM according to degree of comminution and fracture configuration. The statistical analysis was evaluated by t-test. Results: There was no statistical difference between fibular fixation group and non-fixation group in VAS score according to fracture comminution and configuration (p>0.05). However, compared according to fracture configuration, mean ankle eversion of fibular fixation group in oblique fractures was 18.3 degrees, and that of non-fixation group was 12.5 degrees (p<0.05). In addition, mean ankle plantar flexion, dorsiflexion, inversion and total ankle ROM of fibular fixation group in spiral fractures was 40.0, 20.0, 30.0 and 108.3 degrees of each and that of non-fixation group was 38.3, 18.5, 27.0 and 101.7 degrees (p<0.05). Conclusions: In oblique and spiral fractures of distal tibiofibular diaphysis, interlocking intramedullary nail with fibular fixation had the advantage in postoperative ankle ROM. So, it can be a worthy method for the treatment of distal tibiofibular diaphyseal fractures.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.6-12
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• 2013

Objective : This consecutive retrospective study was designed to analyze and to compare the efficacy and outcomes of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) using a fibular and femur allograft with anterior cervical plating. Methods : A total of 88 consecutive patients suffering from cervical degenerative disc disease (DDD) who were treated with ACDF from September 2007 to August 2010 were enrolled in this study. Thirty-seven patients (58 segments) underwent anterior interbody fusion with a femur allograft, and 51 patients (64 segments) were treated with a fibular allograft. The mean follow-up period was 16.0 (range, 12-25) months in the femur group and 19.5 (range, 14-39) months in the fibular group. Cage fracture and breakage, subsidence rate, fusion rate, segmental angle and height and disc height were assessed by using radiography. Clinical outcomes were assessed using a visual analog scale and neck disability index. Results : At 12 months postoperatively, cage fracture and breakage had occurred in 3.4% (2/58) and 7.4% (4/58) of the patients in the femur group, respectively, and 21.9% (14/64) and 31.3% (20/64) of the patients in the fibular group, respectively (p<0.05). Subsidence was noted in 43.1% (25/58) of the femur group and in 50.5% (32/64) of the fibular group. No difference in improvements in the clinical outcome between the two groups was observed. Conclusion : The femur allograft showed good results in subsidence and radiologic parameters, and sustained the original cage shape more effectively than the fibular allograft. The present study suggests that the femur allograft may be a good choice as a fusion substitute for the treatment of cervical DDD.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.190-195
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• 2005

Background and Objectives: Fibula is the flap of choice for reconstruction of wide mandible defects after tumor ablation surgery. In mandible reconstruction, restoring the mandible frame to provide mandibular contour and dental arch while restoring masticatory function are important. Even though vascularized fibula can be osteotomized freely, proper design and flap insetting is not easy because of its three dimensional structure and difference in design according to the defect sites. We reviewed patients who underwent mandible reconstruction with fibular flaps according to the defect sites and suggest proper modification methods of fibular flap according to the various defects sites after tumor ablation surgery. Materials and Methods: Twelve consecutive mandible reconstruction with fibular free flaps were performed for defects after tumor ablation surgery. Patients were classified into 4 groups according to the type of mandibular defect(Group 1 : defect on central segment including symphysis, Group 2 : defect on lateral segment(with or without central segment) confined to body, Group 3 : defect on body and ascending ramus that does not include the condyle, Group 4 : defect including the condyle). Results: We suggest different modification methods of fibular free flap for each patient group. Group 1, 3 ; contour by using multiple closing wedge osteotomy. Group 2 ; single or double barrel reconstruction without wedge osteotomy. Group 4 ; contour using single or multiple wedge osteotomy and condylar reconstruction with costochondral graft. Conclusion: Fibular free flaps can be contoured to any desired shape after multiple osteotomies to restore various mandibular defects. It is a reliable and versatile method for reconstruction of mandibular defects after tumor ablation surgery.