OBJECTIVE In order to investigate the causes of necrosis of the retained flap after transplantation of the great nail flap, according to the principle of plastic surgery, the following operation was designed. METHODS A tongue-shaped great toe flap was made with its base on the tibial side of the great toe and the width of the base was 1 cm to 1.5 cm. The flap contained the supporting vessels and nerves and the periosteum was also preserved. RESULTS From June 1982 to November 1997, the flap was used to repair 267 case, 277 fingers defects. After operation, the retained flap on the tibial side developed necrosis in 13 sides, an incidence of 4.69%, and in 78 sides, there was necrosis on the grafted skin on the donor site, an incidence of 28.7%. Most of the wounds healed after changing dressing, while 37 wounds healed from another skin graft. Of these cases, 178 cases had been followed up for 5 months to 16 years. It was found that the retained tibial tongue-shaped flap showed hyperplasia which extended to the weightbearing area of metatarso-phalangeal of great toe. It showed that the taking off of great toe nail flap according to first dorsal metatarsal artery (FDMA) I, II or III type, the incidence of development of necrosis of retained flap on tibial side showed no significant difference (P gt; 0.05). CONCLUSION It was believed that the necrosis of the retained flap was not related to the FDMA classification but had relation with the design, operative technique and presence of infection.