Objective:To explore the clinical effect of the modified Quaba flap on reconstruction of the soft tissue defects in distal hand and foot.Methods:From August 2013 to March 2022, 36 cases of soft tissue defect in distal hand and foot were reconstructed by the modified Quaba flap in the Department of Microrepair and Reconstruction of Orthopaedic Centre, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University. There were 24 males and 12 females, aged 18 to 58 years old with an average age of 35.6 years old. The sizes of defect were 1.5 cm × 0.5 cm - 5.0 cm × 3.0 cm, including 28 in hand and 8 in foot. Of the defects, 26 were traumatic soft tissue defects, 5 were chronic hand infection and 5 were after resection of hand tumour. The sizes of flap employed were 5.0 cm × 1.5 cm - 10.0 cm × 6.5 cm. Method of optimization included: (1) Extended the paddle of propeller flap or made the rotation point being further; (2) Determined the perforator vessel that entered the pedicle, and made the perforating point as the location of rotation hence to maximise a blood flow; (3) Improved the pedicle mobility and reduced the angle of rotation of the flap; (4) The superficial vein in the pedicle was retained in the modified Quaba flap; (5) Properly retained the fascia tissue of the pedicle; (6) "Skinned-tail" design for the pedicle. All patients entered scheduled follow-up reviews at outpatient clinic and by telephone or WeChat interviews. Colour, texture, wound healing, complications at donor site and hand function were evaluated.Results:All flaps survived. The donor sites were directly closed in 27 patients, and skin grafts were applied in 9 patients. All patients were entered postoperative follow-up for 3-36(mean 24) months. All flaps had good colour and texture but with poor sensation. Wounds healed at the first attention. Hand functions(28 cases) were evaluated according to the Evaluation Trial Standards of Upper Limb Partial Functional of Hand Surgery of Chinese Medical Association. Hand function appeared excellent in 23 patients, good in 3 and fair in 2, with an excellent and good rate at 92.9%. Motion of all metacarpophalangeal joints were satisfactory. Flexion of metacarpophalangeal joints ranged from 65° to 90°, with an average of 80°. Dorsal extension ranged from 0° to 20° (mean 8°), without obvious joint pain. Foot functions(8 cases) were evaluated according to hallux metatarsophalangeal-interphalangeal scale of the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS), 6 patients were in excellent and 2 in good.Conclusion:Modified Quaba flap is easy to harvest and with stable and reliable blood circulation. The optimised methods can extend the length of the paddle of the flap and shorten the rotation point. They are very effective methods in reconstruction of the soft tissue defect in distal hand and foot.

Objective:To investigate the clinical effect of two types of free gracilis musculocutaneous flap in transverse or vertical for reconstruction of the complex wound in calf.Methods:A retrospective series case study was conducted to analyse the clinical data of 22 patients who were treated in the Department of Microrepair and Reconstruction, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University for complex single wounds in calf from August 2019 to January 2023. The patients were 12 males and 10 females and aged 26-58 years old, with 46.7 years old in average. There were 12 wounds on the left calf and 10 on the right. Nine of the wounds were of car accident, 8 of iatrogenic complications, 3 of bone infection and 2 of tumour resection. The wounds sized at 10.0 cm× 5.0 cm - 15.0 cm×7.0 cm. Sixteen transverse gracilis myocutaneous flaps and 6 vertical gracilis myocutaneous flaps were designed and harvested to reconstruct complex wounds in calf. The flaps were 12.0 cm×6.0 cm - 22.0 cm×9.0 cm in size. Time for the gracilis myocutaneous flap harvesting and the time for whole surgery were recorded. The time for flap harvest was 40-60 minutes and the time for the whole surgery was 3- 5 hours. Flap donor sites were directly sutured. All patients were included in the regular postoperative follow-up at outpatient clinic or through telephone and WeChat interviews and the flap survival, long-term flap appearance, healing of donor and recipient sites and limb functions were observed.Results:All 22 flaps survived after surgery. One flap had a blue edge with blood oozing. Urgent surgical exploration revealed that embolization occurred at the anastomotic site between the great saphenous vein at the proximal end of the flap and the great saphenous vein at the recipient site. After removal of the thrombus, the veins were re-anastomosed and flap survived. All the donor sites healed in stage one and functioned well. All patients entered postoperative follow-up for 5-25 months, 14.42 months in average. The flaps were in satisfactory appearance with good texture. All recipient sites healed without complication. The infected wounds were controlled. Function of the limbs was evaluated according to the Punor functional assessment criteria with excellent for 15 patients, good for 5 and fair for 2.Conclusion:Application of free transverse and vertical layout of gracilis musculocutaneous flap is an effective method to reconstruct a complex wound in calf. The anastomosis of the great saphenous vein at the proximal end of the gracilis muscle flap with great saphenous vein or small saphenous vein at the recipient site can reduce the occurrence of venous occlusion.