The distally based posterior interosseous fasciocutaneous island flap in reconstruction of the hand in leprosy.

In leprosy a functionally useless hand can be the sequelae of resorption of the sensation-impaired thumb and fingers resulting from repeated trauma and infection. When this process shortens the thumb to the level of the proximal phalanx or metacarpal, the effect is to produce a relatively shallow first web space which together with the shortening, can prevent the most basic hand manoeuvre of a pincer or pinch grip. The reconstructive procedure commonly used in this situation is to widen and deepen the web space with a z-plasty combined with excision of the second metacarpal but the result can be inadequate. We have used the posterior interosseous fasciocutaneous island flap, both as a simple and a compound flap, to solve this challenging problem and we report here our experience with four patients.