Objective To investigate the effectiveness of cross finger flap pedicled with the dorsal branch of proper digital artery in repairing degloving injury of the fingertip. Methods Between January 2010 and June 2012, 13 cases of degloving injury of single fingertip were treated, including 9 males and 4 females with an average age of 33.6 years (range, 17-46 years). The defect locations were index finger in 5 cases, middle finger in 3 cases, ring finger in 3 cases, and little finger in 2 cases, including 4 cases of mechanical injury, 6 cases of twist injury, and 3 cases of crushing injury. The extent of skin avulsion was beyond the distal interphalangeal joint. The length of the avulsion was 1.0-2.1 cm (mean, 1.8 cm). Complicated injuries included phalangeal fracture in 2 cases. The time from injury to operation was 90-330 minutes (mean, 150 minutes). The wound was repaired with the cross finger flap pedicled with the dorsal branch of proper digital artery. The size of flaps ranged from 3.2 cm × 2.3 cm to 4.2 cm × 3.1 cm. After 3-4 weeks, the pedicle was cut. The donors were closed by skin graft. Results Tension blisters of the flap and partial necrosis of skin graft occurred in 3 cases and in 1 case respectively, which were cured after symptomatic treatment; the flap and skin graft survived, and primary healing was obtained in the other cases. Thirteen patients were followed up 6-10 months (mean, 7 months). The texture and appearance of all the flaps were satisfactory. At 6 months after operation, two-point discrimination ranged from 7 to 10 mm (mean, 8.1 mm). The total active movement of the fingers were excellent in 10 cases and good in 3 cases, and the excellent and good rate was 100%. Conclusion The treatment of degloving injury of fingertip with the cross finger flap pedicled with the dorsal branch of proper digital artery is recommendable for the advantages of reliable blood supply, simple operation, high survival rate of the flap, good function recovery of the finger, and satisfactory appearance.
Objective To investigate the cl inical results of cross-finger flap combined with laterodigital pedicled skin flap for repair of severe flexion contracture of the proximal interphalangeal joint. Methods Between October 2008 and February 2011, 11 patients (11 fingers) with severe flexion contracture of the proximal interphalangeal joint were treated with cross-finger flap combined with laterodigital pedicled skin flap. There were 7 males and 4 females, aged 20-63 years (mean, 32.6years). The causes of injury were crush or electric-saw injury in 7 cases, burn or explosive injury in 3 cases, and electrical injury in 1 case. The locations were the index finger in 4 cases, the middle finger in 2 cases, the ring finger in 2 cases, and the l ittle finger in 3 cases. The mean disease duration was 12.4 months (range, 6-24 months). All cases were rated as type III according to Stern classification standard. The volar tissue defect ranged from 3.0 cm × 1.5 cm to 5.0 cm × 2.5 cm, with exposed tendons, nerves, vessels, or bone after scar relaxation. The defects were repaired with cross-finger flaps (2.2 cm × 1.8 cm to 3.8 cm × 2.5 cm) combined with laterodigital pedicled skin flaps (1.5 cm × 1.2 cm to 2.5 cm × 2.0 cm). Double laterodigital pedicled skin flaps were used in 3 cases. The flap donor site was sutured directly or repaired with the skin graft. Results All flaps survived completely and wound healed by first intention. The donor skin graft survived. All the patients were followed up 6-18 months (mean, 11.3 months). The finger appearance was satisfactory. The flaps had soft texture and good color in all cases. No obvious pigmentation or contraction was observed. The contracted fingers could extend completely with good active flexion and extension motion. At last follow-up, the extension of the proximal interphalangeal joint was 10-15°. Based on proximal interphalangeal joint motion standard of Chinese Medical Association for hand surgery, the results were excellent in 6 cases, good in 4 cases, and fair in 1 case; the excellent and good rate was 90.9%. Conclusion It is an easy and simple therapy to cover wound area of severe flexioncontracture of the proximal interphalangeal joint after scar relaxation using cross-finger flap combined with laterodigital pedicled skin flap, which can repair large defect and achieve good results in finger appearance and function.
Objective To discuss the clinical effect of cross-finger flap with cutaneous branch of the ulnar digital finger on repairing the palmar soft tissue defect of the finger. Methods From October 1996 to June 2004, crossfinger flaps were used to repair the palmar soft tissue defect of the finger in 25 cases( 32 fingers ) with tendon or bone exposed. There were 18 males and 7 females, and theirages ranged from 13 to 45 years. Among them, 6 cases were incised injury, 8 cases were impact and press injury, 11 cases were crush injury; and 2 cases were thumb, 8 cases were index, 5 cases were middle finger, 3 cases were ring finger, 2 cases were little finger, 2 cases were index and middle finger, 2 cases were middle and ring finger, and 1 cases were index, middle, ring and little finger. Thetime from injury to diagnosis was 30 min to 48 h, and the size of the tissue defect was 1.5 cm×1.0 cm to 4.1 cm×2.0 cm. All cases were treated with emergent operation, and the sense of the flap was recovered by anastomosing the cutaneous branch of the ulnar digital finger and the distal digital nerve of injured finger. The flap pedicle was dissected 3 weeks later. Results Followup was conducted for 6 to 26 months and it showed that the cross-finger flaps all survived with full digital fingertip, satisfactory appearance, good function, and normal sense. The discrimination of two points was 5-8 mm. Conclusion As it is easy to operate and with satisfactory appearance and good function restoration, cross-finger flap with cutaneous branch of the ulnar digital finger is effective in repairing the palmar soft tissue defect of the finger.
Double adjacent-finger skin flap could be used to treat severe cicatricial contracture of fingers with resultant complete release of contracture and good coverage of raw surface. From the follow-up, it was noted that the appearance of the fingers following treatment looked nice, no recurrence of contracture in the late stage, and partial sensation of the fingers could be recovered as well. It had no ill-effect on the donor fingers, The method was simple and reliable,from 1987, a total of 4 cases had been done,and the functional recovery wassatisfactory.
An experimental study was designed by usingmonkey for Fepair of digital plump skin defect bycross-finger flap. The pedicle was divided at a pre-setted time. The transparent specimens were madefor histological and gross observation and autora-diography technic examination. The flap survivalrate was 70-75 pet sent when pedicles were divid-ed one day after operation. Division of the pediclestwo days postoperation, the flaps almost survived.At 3 days postoperation, the pedicles were divided,the flaps all survived This experiment indicated that the revascularization of the flap was chifly from the surrounding tissues, and the cross-finfer flap could not be substituted by full the thickness skin flap and deep fascia skin flap.
Objective To investigate the effectiveness of dorsal perforator flap of cross-finger proper digital artery in the treatment of finger soft tissue defect caused by high-pressure injection injury. MethodsBetween July 2011 and June 2020, 14 cases of finger soft tissue defect caused by high-pressure injection injury were repaired with dorsal perforator flap of cross-finger proper digital artery. All patients were male, with a mean age of 36 years (range, 22-56 years). The defects were located on the index finger in 8 cases, middle finger in 4 cases, and ring finger in 2 cases. The causes of injury include 8 cases of emulsion paint injection, 4 cases of oil paint injection, and 2 cases of cement injection. The time from injury to debridement was 2-8 hours, with a mean time of 4.5 hours. The soft tissue defects sized from 4.0 cm×1.2 cm to 6.0 cm×2.0 cm. The flaps sized from 4.5 cm×1.5 cm to 6.5 cm×2.5 cm. The donor site of the flap was repaired with skin graft. The pedicle was cut off at 3 weeks after operation, and followed by functional exercise. ResultsAll flaps and skin grafts at donor sites survived, and the wounds healed by first intention. Twelve patients were followed-up 16-38 months (mean, 22.6 months). The texture and appearance of all flaps were satisfactory. The color and texture of the flaps were similar to those of the surrounding tissues. The two-point discrimination of the flap was 10-12 mm, with a mean of 11.5 mm. There were different degrees of cold intolerance at the end of the affected fingers. At last follow-up, the finger function was evaluated according to the Upper Extremity Functional Evaluation Standard set up by Hand Surgery Branch of Chinese Medical Association, 3 cases were excellent, 8 cases were good, and 1 case was poor. Conclusion The dorsal perforator flap of cross-finger proper digital artery can effectively repair finger soft tissue defect caused by high-pressure injection injury. The operation was simple, and the appearance and function of the finger recover well.