Effects of four types of perforator flaps pedicled with cutaneous neurotrophic vessels in repairing wounds on the volar side of hands
10.3760/cma.j.cn501225-20230720-00009
- VernacularTitle:四种皮神经营养血管带蒂穿支皮瓣修复手部掌侧创面的效果
- Author:
Hui WANG
1
;
Tong ZHOU
;
Yujie LIU
;
Yihan ZHANG
;
Ying LIU
;
Tiepeng MA
;
Xiaoxi YANG
Author Information
1. 唐山市第二医院手外科，唐山 063000
- Keywords:
Hand injuries;
Surgical flaps;
Perforator flap;
Ultrasonography, Doppler, color;
Cutaneous nerve;
Wound repair
- From:
Chinese Journal of Burns
2023;39(11):1038-1046
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To investigate the effects of four types of perforator flaps pedicled with cutaneous neurotrophic vessels in repairing wounds on the volar side of hands.Methods:A retrospective observational study was conducted. From May 2012 to July 2021, 122 patients with wounds on the volar side of hands who met the inclusion criteria were admitted to the Department of Hand Surgery of the Second Hospital of Tangshan, including 74 males and 48 females, aged 18-76 years. There were 15 cases of palm injury alone, 101 cases of finger injury alone, and 6 cases of simultaneous palm and finger injury. The wounds with area ranging from 1.5 cm×1.2 cm to 15.0 cm×6.0 cm were all repaired by transplantation of perforator flaps pedicled with cutaneous neurotrophic vessels, including 16 cases of the ulnar artery perforator flap carrying the medial antebrachial cutaneous nerve, 20 cases of the dorsal metacarpal artery perforator flap carrying the dorsal metacarpal cutaneous nerve, 21 cases of the digital artery dorsal perforator flap of thumb carrying the terminal branch of lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve, and 65 cases of the digital artery dorsal perforator flap of the 2 nd to 5 th finger carrying the dorsal branch of digital nerve, with the sizes of flaps ranging from 1.8 cm×1.4 cm to 20.0 cm×6.0 cm. High-frequency color Doppler ultrasonography was performed to locate and measure the perforators and cutaneous nerves of the flaps preoperatively. The cutaneous nerves carried by the flaps were all anastomosed with the nerves at the recipient sites during the operation. The donor sites were closed directly or repaired with split- or full-thickness free skin graft from the ipsilateral thigh or proximal medial forearm. The survival of the flaps and skin grafts at the flap donor sites, and the healing of incisions at the flap donor sites were observed postoperatively. The patients were followed up, and at the last follow-up, the static two-point discrimination distances of the flaps were measured, the degree of satisfaction of patients with the appearances of the flaps and flap donor sites were evaluated based on the evaluation criteria of Michigan Hand Function Questionnaire, and the functions of the affected hands were evaluated according to the trial criteria for upper limb function evaluation of the Hand Surgery Society of the Chinese Medical Association. Results:After surgery, the distal end of the ulnar artery perforator flap carrying the medial antebrachial cutaneous nerve transplanted in one patient and the digital artery dorsal perforator flap of the 2 nd to 5 th finger carrying the dorsal branch of digital nerve transplanted in two patients were partially necrotic but healed after dressing change; the flaps transplanted in the other 119 patients all survived. All skin grafts at the flap donor sites survived, and all incisions at the flap donor sites healed after surgery. The follow-up period was 10 to 36 months, with an average of 16 months. At the last follow-up, the static two-point discrimination distances of the ulnar artery perforator flaps carrying the medial antebrachial cutaneous nerve was 10 to 20 mm. Ten patients were strongly satisfied and 6 patients were satisfied in the evaluation of satisfaction with the appearance of the flaps. Seven patients were strongly satisfied and 9 patients were satisfied in the evaluation of satisfaction with the appearance of the flap donor sites. Functional evaluation of the affected hand was excellent in 7 cases, good in 7 cases, and fair in 2 cases. For the dorsal metacarpal artery perforator flap carrying the dorsal metacarpal cutaneous nerve, the static two-point discrimination distances of the flaps was 8 to 18 mm; 13 patients were strongly satisfied and 7 patients were satisfied in the evaluation of satisfaction with the appearance of the flaps; 10 patients were strongly satisfied and 10 patients were satisfied in the evaluation of satisfaction with the appearance of the flap donor sites; the functional evaluation of the affected hand was excellent in 11 cases, good in 7 cases, and fair in 2 cases. For the digital artery dorsal perforator flap of thumb carrying the terminal branch of lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve, the static two-point discrimination distances of the flaps was 6 to 11 mm; 17 patients were strongly satisfied and 4 patients were satisfied in the evaluation of satisfaction with the appearance of the flaps; 13 patients were strongly satisfied and 8 patients were satisfied in the evaluation of satisfaction with the appearance of the flap donor sites; the functional evaluation of the affected hand was excellent in 15 cases and good in 6 cases. For the digital artery dorsal perforator flap of the 2 nd to 5 th finger carrying the dorsal branch of digital nerve, the static two-point discrimination distances of the flaps was 5 to 12 mm; 43 patients were strongly satisfied and 22 patients were satisfied in the evaluation of satisfaction with the appearance of the flaps; 47 patients were strongly satisfied and 18 patients were satisfied in the evaluation of satisfaction with the appearance of the flap donor sites; the functional evaluation of the affected hands were excellent in 39 cases, good in 21 cases, and fair in 5 cases. Conclusions:With the assistance of high-frequency color Doppler ultrasonography, four types of perforator flaps pedicled with cutaneous neurotropic vessels which are used to repair different types of wounds on the volar side of the hand can have reliable blood supply, are easy to cut, cause minimal secondary damage to the donor area, and have good recovery of the flap sensation after surgery.
