Microvascular anastomoses for bone grafts in the treatment of massive defects in bone.

Six patients with large defects in bone are described in whom we performed microvascular anastomoses of grafted fibular vessels (arteries and veins) to vessels in the recipient site. Two other patients, with massive loss of bone and skin, were treated by grafting of osteocutaneous composites also using microvascular anastomoses. All but one defect healed successfully. There is a wide potential for applications of these two techniques in the treatment of large segmental bone defects secondary to trauma or following tumor resection.