OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effectiveness of vacuum sealing drainage (VSD) combined with skin grafting to repair donor site for wrap around flap of hallux toe.

METHODSFrom Jan. 2009 to Apr. 2010,20 patients with injury of hallux toe were repaired by wrap around flap of hallux. There were 16 males and 4 females,with ranging in age from 18 to 45 years (averaged 36 years). The causes of injury: mechanical injury in 18 cases, road accident in 1 and postoperative hemangioma of hallux in 1. The degree of hallux defect as follow: grade I 10 cases, grade II 6 cases, grade III 4 cases. All patients' feet underwent 64-row CT angiography pre-operation, there were exposed bone and tendon tissue, the area of hallux ranged from 5 cm x 3 cm to 7 cm x 5 cm, all cases underwent vacuum sealing drainage combined with dermatoplasty of full thick skin graft for repair of donor site for wrap around flap of hallux toe.

RESULTSThe raw surface of donor site in all patients survived without complications such as skin ulceration and exudation. After follow-up for 3 to 12 months, the skin appearance of raw surface was excellent with well function.

CONCLUSIONVSD associated with dermatoplasty of full thick skin graft to repair donor site for wrap around flap of hallux toe can obtain satisfactory effect in treating injury of hallux toe, which can reduce difficulty of wound healing, improve skin appearance of donor site and relieve pain of patients.