To explore the treatment of long segment defect of tibia by using tensor fascia lata combined with iliac flap or deep circumflex iliac pedicle iliac flap.

From February 2012 to August 2017, The People′s Hospital of Zun Yi City Bo Zhou District treated 16 patients who had long segment defect of tibia.There were 11 males and 5 females, age from 22 to 58 years old, the average age was 42 years old. Iliac flap grafting with tensor fascia lata combined with iliac flap or deep circumflex iliac pedicle was used to treat the defect of long segment of tibia. There were 4 cases with simple tibial defect and 12 cases with skin defect. The longest tibial defect was 5-8 cm.

In this study, four patients used iliac flaps with deep circumflex iliac pedicle, the area of flaps ranged from 2.5 cm×5.0 cm to 5.0 cm×10.0 cm, while the area of iliac flaps ranged from 5.0 cm×2.5 cm to 8.0 cm×4.0 cm. Twelve patients used grafting with tensor fascia lata combined with iliac flap, the area of flaps ranged from 5.0 cm×12.0 cm to 12.0 cm×23.0 cm, while the area of iliac flaps ranged from 7.0 cm×2.0 cm to 8.0 cm×4.0 cm. All 16 cases of bone flap were survived, fracture healing, without surgical complications. The average follow-up period was 1.5 years, the flaps had good appearance in 10 cases and was slightly bloated in 6 cases; the ankle had normal motion in 14 cases and had poor dorsal extension in 2 cases. X-ray films showed that the bone flap repaired the bone defects and reached bone healing.

Vascularized tensor fascia lata combined with iliac flap or deep circumflex iliac pedicle iliac flap grafts increase local blood supply and accelerate the process of fracture healing.

Free transplantation; Tensor fasciae latae; Ilium flap