Repair of perforating skin and soft tissue defects of the palms with dorsalis pedis parallel flaps / 中华烧伤杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effect of dorsalis pedis parallel flaps in repairing perforating skin and soft tissue defects of the palms.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Eighteen patients with perforating skin and soft tissue defects of the palms were hospitalized from July 2008 to November 2010. The area of skin defect ranged from 2.0 cm x 1.5 cm to 5.0 cm x 2.5 cm. The dorsalis pedis parallel flaps were used to repair these defects, with the area ranging from 2.0 cm x 2.0 cm to 5.5 cm x 3.0 cm. The donor sites were covered with autologous full-thickness skin from inner thigh.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All the 18 flaps and skin grafts of donor sites survived completely. Seventeen patients were followed up for 6 to 23 months, with mean time of 10 months, and one patient was lost to follow-up. The texture, elasticity, and appearance of all the 17 flaps were satisfactory, with no obvious pigmentation or cicatricial contracture. At the last follow-up, the distance of two-point discrimination of flaps ranged from 6 to 9 mm, with mean distance of 7.4 mm, and the sensation of flaps reached S3 in 13 patients who had nerve anastomosis.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The dorsalis pedis parallel flap, with reliable blood supply and flexible design, is a good choice for repairing perforating skin and soft tissue defects of the palms.</p>