Abstract
A 37-year-old man with an ununited tibial fracture combined with a significant skin defect underwent a microvascular transfer of an island osteocutaneous flap of groin skin and iliac crest bone. the bone component of the flap was shown to be a living transplant by the observation of brisk cancellous bone bleeding when the flap was isolated on its vascular stalk; by rapid fracture healing (weight-bearing 15 weeks postoperatively); and sequential bone scan investigations. Various aspects of the flap blood supply, particularly to bone, are discussed, and reference is made to the use of a more suitable vessel system.