[Modified reverse homodigital artery island flap for repair of fingertip defect]

To investigate the operative method and clinical efficacy of repairing fingertip defect with modified reverse homodigital artery island flap.

From March 2000 to September 2006, 18 cases (24 fingers) of fingertip defect were treated, including 12 males and 6 females aged 18-53 years (mean 29 years). Defect was caused by crush injuries in 12 cases, by avulsion injury in 3 cases, by twist injury in 2 cases and by incised injury in 1 case. The time from injury to operation was 2-8 hours (mean 4 hours). The location were index fingers (3 fingers), middle fingers (4 fingers) and ring fingers (17 fingers). The defects of soft tissue were 1.9 cm x 1.7 cm to 2.4 cm x 1.9 cm in size, the reverse homodigital artery island flaps were from 2.0 cm x 1.5 cm to 2.5 cm x 2.0 cm in size. The donor site was repaired with dumped skin grafting (3 cases) and with skin grafting from medial area of planta pedis (15 cases).

Skin flaps and skin grafting of all the 24 fingers survived after operation. All incisions and donor sites healed by first intention. Sixteen patients (22 fingers) were followed up for 1-5 years (mean 3.2 years).The appearance and function of the flaps were all satisfactory. Two-point discriminations of flaps ranged from 4.5 mm to 6.3 mm. According to the total active movement/total passive movement assessment criteria, the results were excellent in 20 fingers and good in 2 fingers; and the excellent and good rate was 100%. The circumference of donor site was 2.0-3.5 mm shorter than that of normal side. The two-point discriminations of donor site was 7.8-10.5 mm.

Repairing defect of fingertip with modified reverse homodigital artery island flap can provide good texture and contour matching the recipient area, good function and little trauma at donor site.