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Lower limb injuries are common in daily life and can sometimes threaten the integrity of the limb. Plastic surgery collaborates closely with orthopedics to achieve the closure of large and complex limb wounds, which typically result from falls at work, in outdoor and indoor environments, and from car accidents.
Effective management requires the proper coordination of both specialties. The orthopedic surgeon first addresses any potential fractures in the area, either temporarily or permanently, and then, during the same surgical session, the plastic surgeon proceeds with wound closure. The procedure requires general anesthesia, and the duration of the patient’s hospital stay is jointly decided based on the extent of the injury.
The plastic surgeon selects various closure methods depending on the wound’s extent, its location, the necessary orthopedic manipulations, and the presence or absence of coexisting damage to surrounding tissues. Reconstruction can be achieved either by simple skin grafting from other distant body parts or by specially designed surgical flaps, which involve transferring muscle and subcutaneous tissues from adjacent body areas to the injured site.
Lower limb wounds, especially those considered complex, require immediate and combined treatment to ensure their proper management, both in terms of functional and aesthetic restoration.