Squamous cell carcinoma complicating tibial osteomyelitis treated with local wide excision and staged microvascular reconstruction.

Abstract

Squamous cell carcinoma is a complication of chronic tibial osteomyelitis treated with limb-preserving surgery. A 61-year-old man with 42-year history of chronic osteomyelitis of the left tibia was found to have malignant change. A curettage procedure was performed by a general surgeon. He then was referred to the osteomyelitis service; local wide excision was followed by staged microvascular latissimus dorsi muscle flap and fibular osteoseptocutaneous flap transfer. The patient remains well 36 months later with no clinical or radiologic evidence of local recurrence or distant metastasis. This kind of limb-sparing treatment is an excellent alternative treatment for malignancy.