In November 2011, a 7-year-old child with shoulder avulsion was treated in the Department of Hand and Foot Microsurgery, Xi’an Fengcheng Hospital with debridement, transfer of free anterolateral thigh flap(ALTF) and decompression with forearm incision. After operation the limb survived. Six months after surgery, the function of right shoulder abduction was reconstructed by transposition of trapezius muscle. At the 11 years after surgery, the length of the limb on the affected side was slightly shorter than that of the healthy side. The circumference of forearm was slightly less than that of the healthy side. The pain, touch and temperature sensations were recovered. The TPD was 15-20 mm, and the skin temperature on both sides of the limb was normal. The shoulder abduction reached 30°. The muscle strength of elbow and wrist flexions reached grade Ⅴ with the recovered wrist pronation and all digit flexions. The affected limb can cooperate with the healthy limb to complete all daily duties.

Objective:To explore the feasibility of functional reconstruction of muscle power in treatment of traumatic muscle defects by transferring part of superficial vastus of lateral thigh.Methods:From March 2020 to March 2023, reconstruction of muscle power with transfer of superficial lateral thigh muscle was performed on 9 patients in the Department of Hand and Foot Microsurgery of Xi'an Fengcheng Hospital. Nine patients were assigned in a study group. A total of 48 patients who previously had the surgery of chimerically grafted superficial vastus of lateral thigh were recruited as the "previous surgery group" and another group of 71 staff volunteers from our hospital were recruited as the "healthy control group". Of the study group, 5 patients had Gustilo type ⅢB injury in forearm (two with defects of flexor muscle group and 3 with extensor muscle group, 2 with the defects in the left and 3 in the right), one had defect of both flexor and extensor muscle groups in dorsal hand, one had defect of right 1st metacarpal with defects of soft tissue and thenar muscle, one had a completely severed right upper arm with a withdrawn musculocutaneous nerve from the biceps brachii and one had Gustilo ⅢC injury in right calf with defects of tibialis anterior, extensor longus and extensor phalangeal muscle. In the emergency surgery, part of the superficial muscles of lateral thigh were taken to reconstruct the muscular power for the defected traumatic muscles. During the surgery, the excessed nerve with a length of 3.0 cm proximally was removed at 3.0 cm from the point where the nerve entered the muscle. In the transfer of superficial chimeric muscle of lateral thigh, a 3.0 cm of sample nerve tissue was taken for HE staining to find out the number of nerve fibers. Musculoskeletal ultrasonography, electromyography and muscle strength test were performed in the postoperative follow-up for observations and evaluations of the effects of surgery. Average length and thickness of muscle were taken from the 48 patients in the "previous surgery group". The measurement was compared with the length of muscle fibers and the number of nerve fibers in the gracilis muscle of the 9 patients in study group. The cross-sectional areas (SCA) at contraction state (C) and resting state (R) of the superficial vastus of lateral thigh were taken from the 71 volunteers in the healthy control group, and the C/R ratio was calculated (CR value). All the 9 patients were included in the postoperative follow up by outpatient visits and via telephone or internet reviews to observe the recovery of muscle strength of the reconstruction of muscle dynamics.Results:In the study group, the number of nerve fibers shown by immunohistochemical HE staining was 1 088±213, with the CR value of graft muscle measured by musculoskeletal ultrasonography at 1.44±0.17. The wound healed smoothly without complication. The average time of postoperative follow-up for the 9 patients was 22.6 (10-38) months. Recovery of muscle strength was found at M5 in 6 patients and M4 in 3 patients. The appearance of the joints was normal. In the previous surgery group, the average muscle thickness of the superficial vastus lateralis muscle was 1.74 cm±0.35 cm and the length of muscle fiber was 8.86 cm±1.59 cm. In the healthy control group, the CR value of the superficial muscle vastus of lateral thigh was found at 1.17±0.12.Conclusion:Reconstruction of muscular power with partial muscle transfer of the superficial vastus of lateral thigh is proposed in this study.

Objective:To explore the feasibility and clinical effect of emergency lateral thigh muscle transfer in functional reconstruction of major traumatic muscle defects.Methods:Emergency surgeries for 8 patients(7 males and 1 female) with muscle defects were carried out subject to emergently reconstruct the power of lateral femoral muscle superficial region, between March 2020 and December 2021, in the Department of Hand and Foot Microsurgery Hospital, Xi'an Fengcheng Hospital. The 8 patients were 23 to 52 years old with an average of 37.6 years old. Five patients injured by machine crush, 2 by heavy object crush and 1 by traffic accident. Five patients were in Gustilo III B injury in forearm, including 2 with flexor muscle group defects, 2 with extensor muscle group defects and 1 with defect of dorsal metacarpal flexor muscle and extensor muscle. Among the 5 patients, 2 patients had the defects in left forearm and 3 in right forearm. One patient had defect of right 1st metacarpal bone and skin and thenar muscle. One patient suffered a complete right upper arm detachment with musculocutaneous nerve being drawn out from the bicipital muscle. One patient had Gustilo III C injury in the right calf with defects of extensor hallucis longus and extensor digitorum. The areas of soft tissue defect were 10.0 cm×8.0 cm-36.0 cm×11.0 cm and the size of flaps was 12.0 cm×6.0 cm-38.0 cm×12.0 cm with the volumes of excised muscle at 18.0 cm×9.0 cm×1.5 cm-10.0 cm×2.0 cm×1.0 cm. The anatomical cross-section and length of the corresponding muscle on the healthy side were measured by musculoskeletal ultrasound. The chimeric tissue flap was designed on the anterolateral side of the thigh. The flap was designed according to the size of the wound and the corresponding flap. Then 1 or 2 muscle tissue blocks were designed and cut from the superficial region of the lateral femoral muscle according to the condition of the muscle defect, to cover the wound and reconstruct the muscle power. Postoperative follow-ups were conducted by scheduled hospital visit. The contents of follow-up included dynamic observation, evaluation and record through musculoskeletal ultrasound, electromyography and strength of muscle.Results:For the 8 patients who were subject to a muscle reconstruction, the transferred muscles and flaps survived in stage-one without vascular event. Postoperative follow-ups lasted for 10 to 32 months with an average of 19.6 months. The strength of muscle was evaluated according to the M 4 strength of muscle. Strength of muscle restored to M 4 or above in 7 patients who could lift, hook or push a heavy object in 5-30 kg of weight, with free joint movement. One patient restored the strength of muscle to M 3+. Muscle contraction was detected 2-4 months after surgery by musculoskeletal B ultrasound. The average ratio of contraction to resting cross sectional area in 5 cases was 1.45±0.42. The shape of limb was bilaterally symmetrical. There was no discomfort in the donor site and knee joint. The flaps were soft and glossy, with protective sensation restored. Conclusion:Muscle transfer from the lateral femoral muscle superficial region in emergency surgery for functional reconstruction of traumatic muscle defects is feasible and effective with a good clinical effect.

Objective:To discuss outcomes of emergency repairing for Gustilo III B and III C fractures of forearm with complicated tissue defects and the related influence factors.Methods:From January 2014 to Feburary 2022, data of 98 cases of Gustilo III B and III C fractures with large compound defects of soft tissue, blood vessel, bone, tendon or muscle from elbow to wrist were collected. Primary debridement, bone fixation, wound coverage by free flap, bone transfer(or bone cement filling) or dynamic reconstruction of muscle were completed with emergency surgery in Department of Hand and Foot Microsurgery, Xi'an Fengcheng Hospital. Postoperative follow-ups were conducted through outpatient clinic visits, telephone and WeChat reviews. Video clips, questionnaires and the latest information of patients were also analysed. Rank sum test and Chi-square test were used to examine the relationship between independent variables such as general condition, disease condition and surgical procedures of chimeric tissue transfer group and simple flap transfer group, together with dependent variables such as limb salvage, number of surgery, wound healing, function scores, and complications. P<0.05 were further included in the regression equation to discover the relationship between multiple independent variables and dependent variables. Results:Follow-up lasted for 6-96 months, with an average of 71.1 months. In the chimeric group, the limb salvage rate was at 95.1%, with an infection rate of 8.50% and an average number of surgery was 2.13±0.89. In the simple flap transfer group, the limb salvage rate was at 87.5%, with an infection rate of 15.38% and an average number of surgery was 2.62±0.64. The good rate of Anderson score was 65.3% and the average score of Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand(DASH) was 32.9(0-60) points for all the patients. There were significant differences in dependent variables of limb salvage and infection rate between the 2 groups ( P<0.05). Ischemia time and method of bone fixation led to significant differences in number of surgery ( P<0.05). Methods of bone fixation and the types of flap made significant differences in wound healing ( P<0.05). Underlying disease, bonedefect, Gustilo classification and method of bone fixation all contributed to the significant differences in function score ( P<0.05 or P<0.01) . Conclusion:Emergency surgery for repair of serious injury of forearm has a relatively high limb salvage rate and good functional effects. The limb salvage rate is not correlated with independent variables such as severity of injury, Mangledextremity Severity Score (MESS) and ischemia time, while transfer of a simple flap or a chimeric flap is significantly correlated with the limb salvage rate, infection and wound healing. The severity of injury, ischemia time and bone defect are correlated with functional assessment, number of surgery and bone healing.