Reverse Digital Island Flap with Skin Strip Retention to Prevent Flap Congestion

PURPOSE: The reverse digital island flap is useful for the repair of various fingertip injuries. We present a modified surgical technique with skin strip elevation for the prevention of postoperative congestion. METHODS: From January 2005 to October 2015, we performed 31 reconstructive procedures for finger injury using a reverse digital artery island flap with and without skin strip retention. Patients' clinical characteristics, surgical outcomes, and complications were investigated. RESULTS: All flaps survived and there were no donor site problems. The mean follow-up time was 5 months (range, 3-8 months). In skin strip retention group, mild venous congestion was observed in 1 case, although it resolved spontaneously. Another case retained flexion contracture, and 2 patients had stiffness at the distal interphalangeal joint. Whereas, in no retention group, venous congestion was observed in 3 cases, 1 patient had partial flap necrosis and 2 patient suffer in flexion contracture at metacarpophalangeal joint. CONCLUSION: The reverse digital island flap procedure produces consistent results and is reliable for the treatment of fingertip injury. Our modified surgical technique of elevating the flap accompanied by skin strip retention helps prevent postoperative congestion.

Polyurethane Foam Template for Simple Design of Digital Island Flap

PURPOSE: Various techniques have been attempted for design of the flaps. However, there are some disadvantages. They have thin, pliable, and two dimensional methods. The aim of this study is to report usefulness of polyurethane foam dressing materials for three dimensional design of the digital island flap. METHODS: From June of 2007 to september of 2008, 10 patients received digital island flap surgery for soft tissue defect of the finger. After minimal debridement of the wound, size and shape of the defect were measured using polyurethane foam. We used Medifoam-5(R) And then, designed this inset the wound. The flap was designed on the donor site with a arterial pedicle as the central axis according to size and shape. A full thickness skin graft from the groin is applied on the flap donor defect and secured with a tieover bolster dressing. RESULTS: Reviewing sizes of the flaps, the length and width of flaps ranged from 1.5 to 3.3 cm and 1.0 to 2.5 cm. The PACS(Picture Archiving Communication System) program allows identification of the donor depth of finger. The distance for the soft tissue ranged from 4.3 mm to 6.7 mm. Mean depth of donor site was 5.3+/-0.6 mm. Also, the thickness of Medifoam-5(R) ranged nearly 5 mm. On flap insetting, full-thickness skin graft was necessary. We did not experience any problems in the recipient site size either, regardless of the extended flaps. CONCLUSION: Polyurethane foam has many advantages over the more conventional templates. Refinements in flap design and surgical technique resulted in favorable functional and cosmetic results. Especially, for beginner, Polyurethane foam dressing material is a simple and safe tool and therefore is an excellent choice for design of the island flap..

Reconstruction of Soft Tissue Defect in Hand Using Reverse Dorsal Digital and Metacarpal Artery Island Flap in Electrical Burn Patient

The hand is frequently affected area in high voltage electrical burn injury as an input or output sites. Therefore, proper treatment method should be applied in order to achive aesthetic and funtioning hand. To reconstruction of soft tissue defect in hand, a variety of treatment have been, but most are associated with drawbacks, such as limited range, limited application, long time surgery, 2nd stage surgery, large donor defect. The reverse dorsal digital and metacarpal island flaps use the dorsal skin of the digital or metacarpal areas, and they are based on the arterial branches anastomosing the volar and dorsal arterial networks. The series of 15 cases of reconstruction for soft tissue defect due to electrical burn in hand were reviewed. Most cases survived completely and we could gain satisfactory results. Advantages of these flaps are minimal defect in donor site, good reliability, short time and easy technique, versatile variation, usefulness in secondary reconstruction. In conclusion, our result suggested that the reverse dorsal digital and metacarpal artery island flap are very useful methods for reconstruction of soft tissue defect due to electrical burn in hand, functionally and aetheticallly.

Clinical analysis of the reverse digital island flap

Fingertip injuries represent the most common type of injuries were seen in the upper extrimity. Reconstruction of a injured digit needs good aesthetic result as well as functional recovery. From August 1994 to August 1996, sixty two digits in the fifty four patients were treated by using the reverse digital island flaps. The age of the patients ranged from 13 to 64 years. We reviewed the medical records of our cases and analyzed them in several aspects. Majority of the cases (79%) were covered primarily. Neurorrhaphy was performed in 26 digits (42%). The survival of these flaps was successful in all cases except one case. The mean values of the static two point discrimination in sensate and nonsensate flaps were 6.5 mm and 10.3 mm retrospectively. In this study, venous congestion was the most common early complication (9.6%). Arterial insufficiency and flap loss (6.4%) were the troublesome early complications. Bulky mushroom shaped flap (24.6%), scar contracture (6.4%), paronychia (8.2%), cold intolerance (9.6%), hyperesthesia (3.2%) and flap atrophy (4.8%) were the late complications. In conclusion, despites of its complications, reverse digital island flap provide durable skin cover, superior aesthetic result and excellent sensory restoration.