ABSTRACT
Introduction: The management of compound trauma has always been challenging. Free ?aps are the ?rst choice when soft tissue cover cannot be provided by local ?aps. When facilities for microsurgery are not available or certain factors preclude the microsurgical anastomosis or in cases of free ?ap failure, the cross leg ?aps have a big role to play in lower limb reconstruction. We are presenting our retrospective study on 30 cases of distal leg and foot defects covered successfully by cross leg ?aps. The aim of this study is to highlight the usefulness of cross leg Aims and objectives: ?aps in lower limb reconstruction. A retrospective study was done on 30 patients from January 2015 to Material and methods: December 2021 who underwent perforator based fasciocutaneous cross leg ?ap for post traumatic soft tissue defects of distal leg and foot. The mechanism of injury, size and site of defect were recorded. All ?aps were planned in reverse and limbs were immobilised with external ?xator. Post-operative complications if any were noted. The patients were followed till the ?ap became stable. The mechanism of injury was road side accident in 26 cases, machine injury in 2 cases and fall from Results: height in 2 cases. 19 patients had soft tissue defect of distal 1/3rd of leg and 11 patients had foot defects. 26(86.67%) patients underwent distally based fasciocutaneous cross leg ?ap and 4(13.33%) patients underwent conventional anteromedially based fasciocutaneous ?ap. All ?aps survived well. 2 patients had discharge and 1 had margin necrosis but were managed conservatively. The perforators based fasciocutaneous cross leg ?aps provide an easy, simple, reliable and viable Conclusion: cover for distal leg and foot reconstruction.