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Reverse homodigital artery flap coverage for bone and nailbed grafts in fingertip amputations.

Alagoz MS, Uysal CA, Kerem M, Sensoz O

Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Kocaeli University Faculty of Medicine, Turkey.

The main aim of the treatment of fingertip amputations with no indication of replantation was to establish the functional and esthetic construction. The critical point in the utilization of the bone and nail tissue as a graft for reconstruction was to choose a flap that is sufficiently vascular to nourish these grafts. We have performed homodigital artery flaps to cover the bone and nailbed grafts taken from the amputation to restore fingertip function with an acceptable result. The venous insufficiency with the increased probability in flap failure should be taken into consideration. We proposed the preservation of some amount of soft tissue around the vascular pedicle to overcome the venous insufficiency and in our point of view, digital artery sacrifice was worth it to preserve the length of the finger and the esthetic nail appearance.

Published 1 March 2006 in Ann Plast Surg, 56(3): 279-83.
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