Microsurgery and external fixation in orthoplastic reconstruction of tibial injuries.

"Orthoplastics" is a relatively new approach to lower limb reconstruction, where an integration of both plastic and orthopedic expertise is required, together with the availability of well-equipped facilities. Acute shortening and long-term frames for lengthening are generally considered alternatives to length preservation and soft tissue microsurgical reconstruction, but an integration of external fixation and reconstructive microsurgery is gaining an increasing role with refinements of joint approaches.Data on sixteen patients who underwent microsurgical lower limb reconstruction and external fixation with an orthoplastic approach, following acute or chronic tibial injury, were retrospect…