Reconstruction in pediatric orthopedic trauma: the role of primary cross leg flap cover.

Composite defects of the leg often involve microsurgical reconstruction. Microsurgery is technically demanding in post-trauma situations in very young children. There is renewed interest in cross leg flaps in this scenario. Children aged up to 5 years, who had open fractures or exposed bones in the leg, were followed up prospectively. Eight children, with a mean age of 4 years, underwent nine flaps for extensive tissue defects over the leg and foot. Six of these flaps were cross leg flaps. No flap failed and all wounds acquired early stable cover. The cross leg flap is a useful alternative in the pediatric population in lieu of microsurgical tissue transfer.