The use of flaps in the treatment of fingertip injuries

Fingertip injuries constitute a large portion of the traumatic injuries sustained to the hand and are frequently associated with significant disability for the patient. While many methods are available for the treatment of such injuries, quite often only certain procedures are appropriate for a particular digit in any given patient. The use of flaps in such instances provides an important tool for coverage of the exposed fingertip bone when more simple measures are inadequate. Herein follows a discussion of the indications and potential pitfalls for a variety of flaps which may be employed in the treatment of fingertip injuries.