Toe-to-hand transfers in reconstructive surgery of the hand. Experience with seventy-one cases

Based on a homogeneous series of 71 toe-to-hand transfers performed between February 1975 and December 1982 the same surgeon, the authors have tried to define their present day indications. Technical modifications have been described for the second toe transfer : isolated dorsal approach of the toe with early-stage resection of the second metatarsal bone, utilisation of the plantar metatarsal artery of the second interosseous space, utilisation of the volar vessels for the anastomosis at the recipient site, dorsal subcutaneous tunnel for the venous anastomosis of the hand. Aside from the usual indications for thumb reconstruction (11 cases) and 26 cases of transfers for reconstruction in long finger injuries, the indications for partial transfers have become more and more frequent : pulpar (9 cases), pulp + bone + nail (10 cases), isolated nail (1 case), nail + bone (2 cases), first web space (1 case), double twisted toe (5 cases) and articular (6 cases) transfers.