Salvage of Extensively Scarred Hands: Wide Awake Tenolysis and Interpositional Free Tissue Transfer

This study introduced a dedicated technical approach to extensive hand adhesions, combined with failed primary nerve reconstruction. Wide awakelocal anesthesia no tourniquet (WALANT) tenolysis and interpositional free tissue transfer forge the main facets of the proposed reconstructive strategy.

A prospective study was conducted, including 22 patients diagnosed with extensive tendon adhesions in addition to failed primary nerve repair. After wide awake tenolysis, 20 adipofascial radial forearm flaps and two ALT flaps were used to wrap the tendons, whereas the nerves were grafted after complete separation from the tendons. Nerve recovery; final total range of motion of the fingers; and the disabilities of the arm, shoulder, and hand score were recorded in detail.

All flaps healed uneventfully. Final assessment of the median nerve revealed M3 or more motor power and S3 sensory recovery in all patients except one patient who attained no muscle power at all and S1 as regards the sensory assessment. The ulnar nerve evaluation revealed that two of five patients did not recover motor power at all (M0), and the remaining three patients recovered M3 motor power with variable sensory outcomes. Final assessment of total range of motion of the fingers and the DASH score showed a statistically significant improvement except for one patient.

WALANT tenolysis and interposition of well-vascularized fascial flaps along with simultaneous nerve grafts in extensively scarred hands provided goodfunctional outcomes.