OBJECTIVETo explore the means for the reconstruction of extensive deep burn wounds with exposure of bone and joint in late stage.

METHODSAmong all the patients with extensive deep burn hospitalized between January 2009 and May 2011, 5 patients presented wounds with exposure of bone and joint in the late stage of treatment that could not be covered by free skin grafts or flaps. Two of the five patients had more than 2 and the other 3 patients had only one such wound(s). The wound size ranged from 8 cm×5 cm to 21 cm×8 cm. Wounds were repaired by transplantation of 7 free muscle flaps (including 4 free rectus abdominis flaps and 3 latissimus dorsi flaps) combined with split-thickness skin grafts harvested from scalp.

RESULTSAll the muscle flaps and skin grafts survived. Wounds with bone and joint exposure healed well. At one-year follow-up of some patients, good appearance of repaired areas and normal function of joints were observed with no signs of ulceration, arthritis, or osteomyelitis.

CONCLUSIONSTransplantation of free muscle flaps combined with split-thickness skin grafts harvested from the scalp provides satisfactory reconstruction for wounds with deep tissue exposure in patients with a shortage of skin donor site.