[Application of pedicled anterolateral thigh flap transferring for coverage of oversized skin defect of hand]

To introduce the application of the pedicled anterolateral thigh flap transferring for coverage of the oversized skin defect of the hand.

The pedicled anterolateral thigh flap was transferred to cover the large skin defects of the hands or the skin defects of the abdomen after the abdominal flap transferred to the hand in 5 male patients aged 16-44 years from April 2002 to August 2005. The injured sites were as follows:4 right hands and 1 left hand, including 2 hands injured by a machine and 3 hands injured by burning. The mechanically injured patients underwent an operation within 6 hours after the injury. The burned patients were reconstructed by the flap transferring 4-7 days after the burn when the decayed tissues could be clearly indentified. The areas of the hand defects were 12-19 cm x 18-22 cm. The areas of the pedicled anterolateral thigh flaps were 7-12 cm x 16-24 cm. The areas of the abdominal flaps were 13-20 cm x 19-23 cm. The pedicles were separated 3 weeks after the repairing operation.

All the flaps survived well and there was no vascular crisis, with the wound healing of the first intention. The skin defects of the hand were covered completely. Five patients were followed up for 6-12 months. The texture of the flaps was soft and the flaps had a good blood circulation. Of the patients, 3 underwent the finger exclusion and degreasing operation 4-7 months after operation. All the flaps of the hands had protective sensation, which could meet the requirement of the daily life.

The pedicled anterolateral thigh flap can provide the large coverage for the skin defects of the hands. The risk of the operation can be greatly decreased by obviation of the vessel anastomosis. It can be an optimal choice for the management of the oversized skin defects of the hands.