ABSTRACT
The present study evaluated the clinical efficacy of reverse second and third dorsal
metacarpal artery fasciocutaneous flaps for repair of distal- and middle-segment finger
soft tissue defects. A total of 14 patients with distal- and middle-segment finger
soft tissue defects complicated by exposure of the phalanx or tendon were repaired
using second and third dorsal metacarpal artery fasciocutaneous flaps ranging between
2.0 cm × 4.5 cm and 3.0 cm × 7.0 cm. All of the skin flaps survived after surgery.
Follow-up data during a 6- to 40-month period showed that the flaps exhibited a satisfactory
appearance. They were not fat or clumsy, with a 2-point discrimination of 5 to 9 mm,
and there was good recovery of finger function. The donor site was able to be directly
sutured without dermoplasty. Pigmented linear surgical streaks appeared in the donor
site. The second and third dorsal metacarpal artery fasciocutaneous flaps provide
a good approach for the repair of distal- and middle-segment finger soft tissue defects
and functional reconstruction because of convenient dissection, little trauma, sufficient
use of the dorsal metacarpal artery, large harvested area of the flap, and a good
dissection range.
KEYWORDS
Surgical flaps - cutaneous branch - skin and soft tissue defect
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Peiji WangM.D.
Chief Physician, Department of Hand and Foot Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital
of Soochow University
1055 Sanxiang Road, Suzhou 215004, China
eMail: wangpeiji88@163.com
