Reconstruction of finger C-shape soft tissue defect with wrist crease free flap carrying cutaneous nerve / 中华显微外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To explore clinical results in reconstruction of finger C-shape soft tissue defect with the wrist crease free flap carrying cutaneous nerve.Methods:From June, 2017 to April, 2019, 7 fingers(7 patients) with C-shape defect were treated with the wrist crease free flap carrying cutaneous nerve. The size of defect ranged from 1.0 cm × 2.5 cm-2.2 cm × 4.0 cm; the flap sizes were 1.3 cm × 2.7 cm-2.5 cm × 4.5 cm. Five fingers had unilateral defect of proper palmar digital artery. Two fingers that had bilateral defect of proper palmar digital artery with poor blood circulation were re-established with blood supply by Flow-through flaps. Four fingers had unilateral defect of proper palmar digital nerves, and 3 had bilateral defect of proper palmar digital artery. Five of the fingers were repaired by the superficial branch of the radial nerve and 2 repaired by palmar cutaneous branch of median nerve. Regular outpatient follow-up was conducted after surgery for 8 to 15 (mean 11) months.Results:All the fingers and flaps survived with primary healing. Numbness existed in the areas of functional dominance of the cutaneous nerve. At the end of follow-up, the flaps showed good texture without significant bloated appearance with the recovery of protective sensation. The sensation of fingertip recovered to S 4 in 5 fingers and S 3+ in 2 fingers. Finger pulps were plump. All of the fingers moved freely. Linear scars were observed at donor sites and the wrists moved freely. Numbness feeling in the areas of cutaneous nerve disappeared at 6 to 8 weeks after surgery. According to the Functional Evaluation Criteria of the Finger Replantation published by the Hand Surgery Society of the Chinese Medical Association, the results were excellent in 6 fingers and good in 1 finger. Conclusion:The wrist crease free flap carrying cutaneous nerve is constant and can be dissected transversely to reconstruct and fit the C-shape defect of finger. It can re-establish the blood supply as well as to repair the proper palmar digital nerve defect at the same time.