[Repair of defect on finger skin with reverse fascial pedicle island flap of dorsal branch of digital artery].

OBJECTIVE

To introduce the surgical procedure and indication of the reverse fascial pedicle island flap of the digital artery dorsal branches in repairing finger skin defect.

METHODS

By use of the dorsal branches of the digital artery as the pedicel, the reverse island flap was designed. The skin defects of the proximal interphalangeal joint and beyond in 35 cases (42 fingers) were repaired and the joint or extensor tendon was reconstructed simultaneously. Donor site was primarily closed or a skin graft was used. The flap size ranged from 1.0 cm x 2.5 cm to 1.5 cm x 3.5 cm.

RESULTS

Thirty-five patients were followed up 3 months to 1 year, all the flaps survived. The two-point discrimination was between 6 mm and 10 mm. The function of interphalangeal joint was satisfactory.

CONCLUSION

These flaps have the advantages of an extended skin paddle and a versatile pivot point on the phalanx, and they allow coverage of wide and distal defects.