• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• 제47권6호
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• pp.590-596
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• 2020

Background The introduction of the partial second toe pulp free flap has enabled superior aesthetic and functional results for fingertip reconstruction in adults. Children undergoing fingertip amputation for various reasons have limited options for reconstruction. Conventional treatment could shorten the finger, leading to poor cosmesis and function. We report 18 years of our experiences with fingertip reconstruction using partial second toe pulp free flaps in patients in early childhood. Methods Medical charts of children who had undergone fingertip reconstruction using partial second toe pulp free flaps from 2001 to 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. The surgical procedures were identical to those for adults, except for the usage of 11-0 nylon sutures. Patients' demographic data, vessel size, flap dimensions, length of the distal phalanx, and functional outcomes over the course of long-term follow-up were documented. The statistical analysis was performed with the Student t-test, the Mann-Whitney U test, and Pearson correlation analysis. Results Eighteen toe pulp flaps in 17 patients (mean age, 3.0 years) were identified. All the flaps survived without any major complications. In long-term follow-up, the flap-covered distal phalanges showed growth in line with regular development. There was no donor-site morbidity, and all children adapted to daily life without any problems. In two-point discrimination tests, the fingertip sensation recovered to almost the same level as that in the contralateral finger. Conclusions Partial second toe pulp free flaps are an excellent option for fingertip reconstruction in young children, as well as in adults.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• 제39권5호
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• pp.546-550
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• 2012

Background This study was designed to introduce the feasibility of toe tissue transfer without venous outflow for fingertip reconstruction. Methods Five cases of fingertip defects were treated successfully with this method. Four cases were traumatic fingertip defects, and one case was a hook-nail deformity. The lateral pulp of a great toe or medioinferior portion of a second toe was used as the donor site. An arterial pedicle was dissected only within the digit and anastomosis was performed within 2 cm around the defect margin. The digital nerve was repaired simultaneously. No additional dissection of the dorsal or volar pulp vein was performed in either the donor or recipient sites. Other surgical procedures were performed following conventional techniques. Postoperative venous congestion was monitored with pulp temperature, color, and degree of tissue oxygen saturation. Venous congestion was decompressed with a needle-puncture method intermittently, but did not require continuous external bleeding for salvage. Results Venous congestion was observed in all the flaps, but improved within 3 or 4 days postoperatively. The flap size was from $1.5{\times}1.5cm^2$ to $2.0{\times}3.0cm^2$. The mean surgical time was 2 hours and 20 minutes. A needle puncture was carried out every 2 hours during the first postoperative day, and then every 4 hours thereafter. The amount of blood loss during each puncture procedure was less than 0.2 mL. In the long-term follow-up, no flap atrophy was observed. Conclusions When used properly, the free toe tissue transfer without venous anastomosis method can be a treatment option for small defects on the fingertip area.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• 제24권2호
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• pp.62-67
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• 2015

Purpose: Pollicization typically involves surgical migration of the index finger to the position of the thumb. This procedure facilitates the conversion of a useless hand into a well-functioning one in patients who are not amenable to the toe-to-hand transfer. However, middle finger pollicization has been rarely reported. Materials and Methods: We reconstructed a thumb by immediate pollicization of the remnants of the middle finger in two patients who sustained a tumor and a trauma, respectively. The former, after cancer ablation was performed, has not been reported literally, and the latter involved free devitalized pollicization of the middle finger using a microsurgical anastomosis. The distal third extensor communis tendon was sutured to the proximal extensor pollicis longus tendon and the distal flexor digitorum superficialis and profundus were sutured to the proximal flexor pollicis longus. The abductor pollicis brevis tendon was sutured to the distal end of the first palmar interosseous muscle. Coaptation of the third digital nerve and the superficial radial nerve branch was performed. Results: Patients showed uneventful postoperative courses without complication such as infection or finger necrosis. Based on the principles of pollicization, a wide range of pinch and grasp movements was successfully restored. They were pleased with the functional and cosmetic results. Conclusion: Although the index finger has been the digit of choice for pollicization, we could also use the middle finger on specific occasions. This procedure provides an excellent option for the reconstruction of a mutilated thumb and could be performed advantageously in a single step.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• 제9권1호
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• pp.56-61
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• 2000

Recommendable reconstructive surgery in the patient with thumb amputation through base of the first metacarpal bone is pollicization. Some patients who do not agree with harvest sound finger as a new thumb, we can consider other options as toe transplantation or osteoplastic thumb reconstruction for creating thumb. Toe transplantation to the thumb is effective procedure in the amputation of distal to metacarpal shaft, it is rarely indicated in the cases of proximal to base of the first metacarpal bone. We performed three cases of modified osteoplastic thumb reconstruction with free vascularized rib that combined with scapular free flap or radial forearm flap. The length of transplanted rib ranged from 7~11cm, the donor vessels are posterior intercostal artery and vein which anastomosed to radial artery. The grafted rib wrapped with additional free flap for creating new thumb. Result of that procedure was not much encouraging, aesthetic appearance and mobility of thumb were not so satisfactory but reconstructed thumb gave improvement of the hand function without sacrificing toe or other digit. That gave reasonable stability for powerful side pinch and three pod pinch and opposable thumb with normal carpo-metacarpal joint motion that can give much function to the thumb absent hand. In spite of those disadvantages, thumb reconstruction with rib transfer can be useful for patients who do not want to lose another part of the body for creating thumb in basal amputation of the thumb metacarpal.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• 제43권1호
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• pp.66-70
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• 2016

Background In this study, we characterize the morbidity at the donor-site of partial second toe pulp free flaps in terms of wound management as well as long-term outcomes. Methods A single-institutional retrospective review was performed for patients who had undergone partial second toe pulp free flap transfer to the fingertip. Patient charts were reviewed for infection, skin necrosis, wound dehiscence, and hematoma for the donor site. Additionally, a questionnaire survey was given to patients who had a follow-up of longer than 1 year to characterize long-term postoperative pain and appearance. Results The review identified a total of 246 cases. Early wound complications were significant for wound dehiscence (n=8) and hematoma (n=5) for a wound complication rate of 5.3%. The questionnaire was distributed to 109 patients, and 54 patients completed the survey. Out of these 54 patients, 15 patients continued to have donor-site pain (28%) at a mean follow-up period of 32.4 months. However, the pain intensity was relatively low in the range between 2 to 5, on a 0-10 scale. None of these patients felt this donor-site pain interfered significantly with daily activity, nor did any patient require pain medications of any type. Donor-site appearance was satisfactory to most patients. Conclusions The partial second toe pulp flap was associated with low rates of wound complications and favorable long-term outcomes. Given the functional and aesthetic gain in the recipient finger, donor-site morbidities appear acceptable in this patient population. This study can be helpful in counseling patients regarding donor-site morbidity during the informed consent process.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• 제47권5호
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• pp.451-459
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• 2020

Background For volar soft tissue defects of the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint, free flaps are technically challenging, but have more esthetic and functional advantages than local or distant flaps. In this study, we compared the long-term surgical outcomes of arterial (hypothenar, thenar, or second toe plantar) and venous free flaps for volar defects of the PIP joint. Methods This was a single-center retrospective review of free flap coverage of volar defects between the distal interphalangeal and metacarpophalangeal joint from July 2010 to August 2019. Patients with severe crush injuries (degloving, tendon or bone defects, or comminuted/intra-articular fractures), thumb injuries, multiple-joint and finger injuries, dorsal soft tissue defects, and defects >6 cm in length were excluded from the study, as were those lost to follow-up within 6 months. Thirteen patients received arterial (hypothenar, thenar, or second toe plantar) free flaps and 12 received venous free flaps. Patients' age, follow-up period, PIP joint active range of motion (ROM), extension lag, grip-strength ratio of the injured to the uninjured hand, and Quick Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder & Hand (QuickDASH) score were compared between the groups. Results Arterial free flaps showed significantly higher PIP joint active ROM (P=0.043) and lower extension lag (P =0.035) than venous free flaps. The differences in flexion, grip strength, and QuickDASH scores were not statistically significant. Conclusions The surgical outcomes of arterial free flaps were superior to those of venous free flaps for volar defects of the PIP joint.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• 제6권1호
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• pp.87-95
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• 1997

Traumatic injury to the hand often leads to soft tissue defects with exposed tendons, bones, or joints. Though many new flap have been introduced, the choice of flap that would be best for the patient depends on such factors as the site, size, and degree of wounds. Additionally the selected surgical method should be yielded cosmetic and functional superiority by the one-staged reconstruction. In our experience, small to medium sized soft tissue defect with bone and tendon exposure of hand can be resurfaced with an arterialized venous free flap from the volar aspect of distal forearm. Wide and deep defects of the hand can be covered with a sensory cutaneous free flap such as the medial plantar free flap, dorsalis pedis free flap, and radial forearm free flap. Specialized flap such as wrap-around flap, toe-to-finger transfer, onychocutaneous free flap can be used for the recontruction of defect on the thumb and finger. Based on the above considerations and our clinical experience of 60 free flap cases of the hand, the various methods for the proper repair of soft tissue defects of the hand are described. And we obtained satisfactory functional and cosmetic results with 95% success rate of free flap.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.56-60
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• 2012

Purpose: Thumb reconstruction plays most important role in hand injuries because total loss of a thumb constitutes about 40% disability in the hand. The reconstruction can be accomplished by pollicization, free toe-to-thumb transfer, wrap around procedure and lengthening extraction. However, we sometimes need consecutive or double free flaps in the reconstruction of mutilating hand injuries. Methods: We reconstructed a mutilating hand injury in a 54-years old man. Because of severe crushing injury of right thumb and index fingers, we reconstructed a thumb with pollicization using nearly amputated middle finger. Although it survived completely, the adjacent soft tissues which had been covered by fillet flap from the space past was necrosed on 1 month. We debrided the necrotic tissues and covered it with anteromedial thigh perforator free flap consecutively because he had an anatomical variation in branches of lateral femoral circumflex artery. Results: He had an uneventful postoperative course without any complication such as infection, dehiscence and flap necrosis. Three months later, he had undergone tenolysis and defatting procedure of flap site. He recovered the some amount of grip function and was happy with the result. Conclusion: In severe hand trauma including thumb amputation, thumb reconstruction using pollicization and perforator free flap could be an alternative option. It provides minimal donor site morbidity and an acceptable functional result.