ObjectiveTo evaluate the effectiveness of the upper limb free flap for repair of severe contracture of thumb web, and one stage reconstruction of the index finger abduction. MethodsBetween March 2007 and June 2011, 16 cases of severe contracture of thumb web and index finger abduction dysfunction were treated. There were 14 males and 2 females with an average age of 29 years (range, 16-42 years). All injuries were caused by machine crush. The time between injury and admission was 6-24 months (mean, 10 months). The angle of thumb web was 10-25° (mean, 20°), and the width of thumb web was 15-24 mm (mean, 22 mm). After scar relax of the thumb web, the defect size ranged from 6 cm × 4 cm to 8 cm × 6 cm; the upper limb free flap from 7 cm × 5 cm to 9 cm × 7 cm was used to repair the defect, index finger abduction was simultaneously reconstructed by extensor indicis proprius tendon transfer. The donor site was repaired with skin grafting. ResultsAll the flaps and skin graftings survived after operation and incisions healed by first intention. Fourteen patients were followed up 6-12 months (mean, 9 months). The flap appearance was satisfactory. The two-point discrimination was 6-9 mm (mean, 7 mm) after 6 months. The angle of thumb web was 85-90° (mean, 88°). The width of thumb web was 34-52 mm (mean, 40 mm). The abduction and opposing functions of thumb and abduction function of index finger were both recovered. Conclusion A combination of the upper limb free flap for severe contracture of thumb web and one stage reconstruction of the index finger abduction for index finger abduction dysfunction can achieve good results in function and appearance.
Objective To study the improved index finger dorsal island flap for primary repair of thumb tip injury. Methods Between January 2009 and February 2010, 23 patients with thumb tip injury were treated. There were 17 males and 6 females, aged 21-47 years (mean, 27.5 years). The causes of injury were mechanical injury in 18 cases and heavy crushing injury in 5 cases. The time from injury to operation was 2.5-5.0 hours (mean, 3.5 hours). The defect locations included ulnar palmar defect in 5 cases, dorsal foot defect in 6 cases, radial palmar defect in 8 cases, and radial dorsal defect in 4 cases. All patients complicated by exposure of the thumb distal phalanx. The wound area varied from 2.1 cm × 1.8 cm to 2.8 cm × 2.5 cm. According to distal soft tissue defect of thumb, a modified index finger dorsal island flap was designed, key point of which was moved forward, and defects were repaired with the flaps. The size of flap was 2.3 cm × 2.0 cm to 3.0 cm × 2.7 cm. The donor sites were repaired with skin graft. Results All the flaps and grafts survived after operation and the wounds healed by first intention. All patients were followed up 6-12 months with an average of 6.4 months. The appearance and texture of the flaps were excellent. At last follow-up, the sensation of the flaps recovered to S3+ in 18 cases, to S3 in 2 cases, and to S2 in 3 cases. The two-point discrimination was 3-4 mm. Thumb opposition function was normal without contracture at the first web space. The skin graft at the donor site survived completely, and the metacarpophalangeal joint at donor site had the flexion and extension function. Conclusion Using a modified index finger dorsal island flap for primary repair thumb tip injury is a simple operation, which has good blood supply and high survival rate. When the pedicle flap rotation point is moved forward 10 mm or more, it can meet the needs of repairing thumb tip defect.
Objective To explore the effect of the first dorsal metacarpal artery-based pedicle dictyo-pattern sublobe flaps in repairing irregular wounds on thumbs and index fingers. Methods From December 2006 to March 2009, 15 patients with irregular wounds on thumbs and index fingers were treated, including 11 males and 4 femals, with an average age of 31 years (range, 18-48 years). Of them, 6 cases of hyperplastic scar of postburn had a 2-25 years course of disease (7.5 years onaverage) and 9 cases of machine injury had a 14-30 days course of disease (20 days on average). In 8 thumb wounds on palmaris, there were 3 cases of rhomboid wounds, 1 case of C-shape wound, and 4 cases of irregular wounds; the area of wounds ranged from 4.5 cm × 3.0 cm to 5.5 cm × 4.5 cm and wounds were treated by the first dorsal metacarpal artery-based proximate pedicle dictyo-pattern sublobe flaps (5 cm × 3 cm to 6 cm × 5 cm). In 7 index fingers wounds on dorsi-fingers, there were 3 cases of 2-wounds, 4 cases of irregular wounds; the area of wounds ranged from 1.0 cm × 0.5 cm to 2.2 cm × 2.0 cm and wounds were treated by the first dorsal metacarpal artery-based distal pedicle dictyo-pattern sublobe flaps (1.2 cm × 0.5 cm to 3.0 cm × 2.2 cm). The donor sites were covered with skin grafts or sutured directly. Results All of the flaps survived completely, the wound of recipient site healed at stage I. The free skin graft on donor site survived completely, the wound of donor site healed at stage I. All cases were followed up for 6-12 months (9 months on average). There was good appearance of flaps. The two point discrimination was 5-7 mm for the proximate pedicle flaps and 9-10 mm for the distal pedicle flaps. The thumbs had digital opposition, opposition function, the index fingers had no dysfunction. According to Hand Surgery Association Society of Chinese Medical Association Society standard for the part function evaluation trial-use of upper l imb, the results of the total active movement were excellent in 14 cases, and good in 1 case. The l ine-scar was existed at donor site of the case of direct suture, the function of thumb web had no dysfunction. Conclusion The first dorsal metacarpal artery-based pedicle dictyo-pattern sublobe flaps can repair the irregular wounds on thumbs and index fingers. It has rel iable blood supply and simple operation.
Objective?To compare the double dorsal phalangeal flap (DDPF) with the combination of digital neurovascular island flap (NVIF) and first dorsal metacarpal artery flap (FDMA) in terms of repairing digit degloving injury.?Methods?From October 2005 to March 2008, DDPF was used to repair 9 patients (9 fingers) with degloving injury of the thumb and index finger and completely amputated thumb and index finger (group A). From August 1996 to June 2007, NVIF and FDMA were used to repair 13 patients (13 fingers) with the thumb degloving injury and completely amputated or necrotic thumb (group B). In group A, there were 7 males and 2 females aged 19-48 years old, there were 4 cases of thumb and index finger degloving injury repair and 5 cases of completely amputated thumb and index finger reconstruction, the skin defect ranged from 6.0 cm × 3.5 cm to 7.0 cm × 4.5 cm, and the interval between injury and operation was 3-10 hours. The size of DDPF harvested during operation was 4.0 cm × 3.5 cm-5.0 cm × 4.0 cm. In group B, there were 10 males and 3 females aged 18-50 years old, there were 5 cases of thumb degloving injury repair and 8 cases of completely amputated or necrotic thumb reconstruction, the skin defect ranged from 6.0 cm × 3.0 cm to 7.0 cm × 4.5 cm, and the interval between injury and operation was 3 hours-5 days, and the size of NVIF and FDMA harvested during operation was 3.5 cm × 3.0 cm-5.0 cm × 4.0 cm. The donor site was repaired with the full-thickness skin graft.?Results?All the flaps survived uneventfully except for 1 case in group A suffering from venous crisis 1 day after operation and 2 cases in group B suffering from FDMA artery crisis 4-12 hours after operation. Those flaps survived after symptomatic treatment. All the wounds healed by first intention. All patients in two groups were followed up for 1-12 years (average 3.2 years). All the donor sites were normal except for 3 cases in group B suffering from flexion contracture deformity of the proximal interphalangeal joint due to the scar contracture in the margin of NVIF donor site. According to Allen test, the skin temperature and color of the donor fingers in two groups were normal under room temperature; 1 case of group A and 6 NVIF donor fingers of group B were pale and cold under ice water. According to sensory recovery evaluation system, 16 fingers in group A were graded as S4, 1 as S3+, and 1 as S2; while in group B, 3 NVIF fingers were graded as S3, 6 NVIF fingers as S2, 4 NVIF fingers as S1, and 13 FDMA fingers as S4. The appearance of the recipient flap was satisfactory and the color was similar to the surrounding skin. The skin temperature and color of the flaps in two groups were normal under room temperature; 2 cases of group A and 4 recipient fingers of group B were pale and cold under ice water. In group A, all the palmar flap of the recipient finger achieved the reorientation of the recipient flap sensation; while in group B, 8 cases achieved the reorientation of the recipient flap sensation, and 5 cases had double sensation. For the two-point discrimination of the flap, group B was superior to that of group A in terms of the palmar aspect (P lt; 0.05), no significant difference was evident between two groups in terms of the dorsal aspect (P gt; 0.05), and the palmar aspect of each group was superior to the dorsal flap (P lt; 0.05).?Conclusion?DDPF is less invasive to donor finger, easy to be operated, able to partially restore the sensory of the injured finger, and suitable for the repair of the degloving injury of the thumb and the index finger. Combination of NVIF and FDMA can restore the fine sensory of recipient palmar flap better and is applicable for those patients suffering from digital nerve defects from the proximal phalanx and with high demand for the recovery of thumb sensory.
OBJECTIVE In order to inquire the methods of thumb reconstruction by transferring the index finger with incomplete conditions of nerve or blood vessels. METHODS From April 1987 to October 1997, 6 cases were treated by 3 kinds of operative methods according to the damage type of thumb and complications injures of the rest of hand: 1. transferring the index finger with pedicle without proximal phalanx, 2. transferring the index finger with palmar nerve and blood vessels, and dorsal skin pedicle, 3. transferring the index finger with compound pedicle. RESULTS All 6 cases of thumb reconstruction were successful. Followed up 6 months to 2 years, the pinching and gribing functions in 6 cases were completely recovered, and the sensation were partly recovered. CONCLUSION The operative method of thumb reconstruction had following advantages: Simple operation, high survival rate and certain function recovery. It can enlarge the indications of thumb reconstruction.