Objective To investigate the effectiveness of cross finger flap pedicled with the dorsal branch of proper digital artery in repairing degloving injury of the fingertip. Methods Between January 2010 and June 2012, 13 cases of degloving injury of single fingertip were treated, including 9 males and 4 females with an average age of 33.6 years (range, 17-46 years). The defect locations were index finger in 5 cases, middle finger in 3 cases, ring finger in 3 cases, and little finger in 2 cases, including 4 cases of mechanical injury, 6 cases of twist injury, and 3 cases of crushing injury. The extent of skin avulsion was beyond the distal interphalangeal joint. The length of the avulsion was 1.0-2.1 cm (mean, 1.8 cm). Complicated injuries included phalangeal fracture in 2 cases. The time from injury to operation was 90-330 minutes (mean, 150 minutes). The wound was repaired with the cross finger flap pedicled with the dorsal branch of proper digital artery. The size of flaps ranged from 3.2 cm × 2.3 cm to 4.2 cm × 3.1 cm. After 3-4 weeks, the pedicle was cut. The donors were closed by skin graft. Results Tension blisters of the flap and partial necrosis of skin graft occurred in 3 cases and in 1 case respectively, which were cured after symptomatic treatment; the flap and skin graft survived, and primary healing was obtained in the other cases. Thirteen patients were followed up 6-10 months (mean, 7 months). The texture and appearance of all the flaps were satisfactory. At 6 months after operation, two-point discrimination ranged from 7 to 10 mm (mean, 8.1 mm). The total active movement of the fingers were excellent in 10 cases and good in 3 cases, and the excellent and good rate was 100%. Conclusion The treatment of degloving injury of fingertip with the cross finger flap pedicled with the dorsal branch of proper digital artery is recommendable for the advantages of reliable blood supply, simple operation, high survival rate of the flap, good function recovery of the finger, and satisfactory appearance.
Objective To study the methods and effectiveness of repairing degloving injury of the distal phalanx with homodigital bilobed flaps tiled. Methods Between April 2008 and June 2011, 40 patients (40 fingers) with degloving injury of the distal phalanx were treated, which were caused by machine. There were 30 males and 10 females, aged from 18 to 56 years(mean, 30 years). The time from injury to operation was 1-5 hours (mean, 2.5 hours). Affected fingers included index in 13cases, middle finger in 11 cases, ring finger in 9 cases, and l ittle finger in 7 cases. The defect area ranged from 3.0 cm × 2.0 cm to 5.5 cm × 3.8 cm. All cases complicated by pollution and exposure of tendon and phalanx, 5 cases by phalangeal fractures, and tendon insertion had no rupture. The end dorsal branches of digital artery island flaps and digital arterial island flaps were used in 14 cases, the end dorsal branches of digital artery island flaps and near dorsal branches of digital artery island flaps in 18 cases, and the end dorsal branches of digital artery island flaps and superficial palmar digital veins arteril ization island flaps in 8 cases. The area of the upper flaps ranged from 2.0 cm × 1.5 cm to 2.6 cm × 2.2 cm and the area of the next leaf flaps ranged from 2.5 cm × 2.0 cm to 3.5 cm × 2.5 cm. The donor sites were covered with free flaps. Results Flap bl ister occurred in 13 cases and vascular crisis in 3 cases. The flaps survived in 40 cases, wound healing by first intention was achieved in 38 cases, and by second intention in 2 cases. The donor skin-grafting was survival. After operation, 30 patients were followed up 8 to 20 months with an average of 10.6 months. The flaps had satisfactory appearance and soft texture, and the finger tip had no touch pain. The sensory function of the flaps was restored at 4-6 weeks after operation; two-point discrimination was 6.0 to 10.0 mm in 24 flaps at 12-15 months. According to the total active movement (TAM) evaluation system introduced by the American Society for Surgery of the Hand in 1975, the results were excellent in 27 cases, good in 2 cases, and fair in 1 case, and the excellent and goodrate was 96.7%. Conclusion The homodigital bilobed flaps tiled for degloving injury of the distal phalanx is simple and easyto- operate with less injury.