OBJECTIVE: To explore the method and effectiveness of index finger proximal dorsal island flap supplied by the nutrient vessels of superficial branch of radial nerve for treatment of thumb skin and soft tissue defect. METHODS: Between August 2019 and December 2024, 12 patients with thumb skin and soft tissue defects caused by trauma accompanied by variation of the first dorsal metacarpal artery were treated. There were 8 males and 4 females, aged 19-55 years, with an average age of 32 years. The wound area ranged from 2.2 cm×2.0 cm to 5.5 cm×3.5 cm. The time from injury to operation ranged from 1.5 to 6.0 hours, with an average of 4.5 hours. After thorough debridement, the wound was repaired with a index finger proximal dorsal island flap supplied by the nutrient vessels of the superficial branch of the radial nerve. The flap area ranged from 2.4 cm×2.2 cm to 6.0 cm×4.0 cm. The donor site was repaired with free skin grafting. Regular follow-up was conducted postoperatively to observe the appearance, texture, sensory recovery of the flap, and the condition of the donor site. RESULTS: The operation time ranged from 30 to 72 minutes, with an average of 47 minutes; intraoperative blood loss ranged from 30 to 70 mL, with an average of 46 mL. After operation, partial necrosis occurred at the skin edge of the radial incision on the dorsum of the hand in 1 case, which healed after dressing changes; all other flaps survived uneventfully, with primary wound healing. The skin grafts at the donor sites all survived. All 12 patients were followed up 5-36 months, with an average of 14 months. The appearance and texture of the flaps were good. At last follow-up, the two-point discrimination of the flaps ranged from 4 to 9 mm, with an average of 5.2 mm. According to the functional evaluation criteria for upper limb issued by the Hand Surgery Society of Chinese Medical Association, the results were excellent in 11 cases and good in 1 case. No scar contracture, pain, or joint movement limitation was observed at the donor sites. CONCLUSION For patients with skin and soft tissue defects of the thumb accompanied by variation of the first dorsal metacarpal artery, the index finger proximal dorsal island flap supplied by the nutrient vessels of the superficial branch of the radial nerve can be selected. This method has advantages such as shorter operation time, less intraoperative bleeding, and good postoperative appearance and sensation of the flap.
Humans ; Male ; Adult ; Female ; Thumb/surgery* ; Soft Tissue Injuries/surgery* ; Radial Nerve/surgery* ; Middle Aged ; Surgical Flaps/innervation* ; Plastic Surgery Procedures/methods* ; Skin Transplantation/methods* ; Young Adult ; Treatment Outcome ; Fingers/surgery* ; Skin/injuries*

Objective: To explore the clinical effects of proximal ulnar artery perforator flap combined with iliac bone graft in the reconstruction of subtotal thumb or finger defects. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted. From August 2016 to August 2019, 7 patients with thumb or finger defects caused by mechanical damage who met the inclusion criteria were admitted to Ruihua Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, including 6 males and 1 female, aged 46 to 58 years. Their length of fingers was repaired with iliac bone, with length of 2.0 to 3.0 cm. After the bone graft, the skin defect area of the affected finger ranged from 2.8 cm×2.2 cm to 6.0 cm×3.2 cm. Then the free proximal ulnar artery perforator flap with area of 3.0 cm×2.4 cm to 6.5 cm×3.5 cm was used to cover the wounds. The wounds in donor sites of iliac crest and flap were directly sutured. The survival of flap in one week post surgery and the donor site wound healing in 2 weeks post surgery were observed, respectively. During the follow-up, the appearance and sensory function of the affected finger, bone healing, and scar hypertrophy of wound in the donor site were observed and evaluated. At the last follow-up, the functional recovery of the affected finger was evaluated with trial standard for the evaluation of functions of the upper limbs of the Hand Surgery Society of Chinese Medical Association. Results: In one week post surgery, all the flaps survived. In 2 weeks post surgery, the iliac bone and the wounds in forearm donor site healed. During the follow-up of 5 to 13 months, the flap was good in appearance, without obvious pigmentation; the sensory recovery reached level S₂ in 5 patients and S₀ in 2 patients; all the grafted iliac bones were bony union without obvious resorption; the wounds in donor site healed well, with only mild scar formation. At the last follow-up, the shape of the reconstructed finger was close to the healthy finger, and the functional evaluation results were excellent in 3 cases and good in 4 cases. Conclusions: The use of proximal ulnar artery perforator flap combined with iliac bone graft to reconstruct subtotal thumb or finger can partially restore part of the appearance and function, with less damage to the donor site. It is a good choice for patients who have low expectations of appearance and function for the reconstructed finger.
Male ; Humans ; Female ; Soft Tissue Injuries/surgery* ; Perforator Flap/transplantation* ; Skin Transplantation/methods* ; Thumb/surgery* ; Plastic Surgery Procedures ; Ulnar Artery/surgery* ; Cicatrix/surgery* ; Ilium/surgery* ; Treatment Outcome

Cactus spines can easily puncture the skin with only minor pressure. Removal of the offending cactus spine is the treatment of choice; however, it is very difficult, even with tweezers. A 17-year-old Korean girl presented for evaluation of multiple purple-colored macules and papules on the left cheek and left thumb. Two months earlier, she had pricked her finger and face on cactus spines while volunteering in Haiti. An ultrasound identified wedge-shaped echogenic materials suspected as cactus spines. We recommended surgical removal of the spines, but she vehemently refused. We then advised her to take amoxicillin/clavulanic acid and undergo regular follow-up. During the follow-up period, the spines dislodged spontaneously for easy removal and the patient removed them with tweezers. The lesions actually improved over the next several months. Here, we report this rare and interesting case for educational purposes because such a case has never been previously reported in Korea.
Adolescent ; Cactaceae ; Cheek ; Female ; Fingers ; Follow-Up Studies ; Haiti ; Humans ; Korea ; Punctures ; Skin ; Spine ; Thumb ; Ultrasonography ; Wounds and Injuries

BackgroundHand injuries are very common in sports, such as skiing and ball sports. One of the major reasons causing hand and finger deformity is due to ligament and tendon injury. The aim of this study was to investigate if the high-resolution 3T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can demonstrate the complex anatomy of the fingers and thumb, especially the tendons and ligaments, and provide the accurate diagnosis of clinically important fingers and thumbs deformity due to ligamentous and tendinous injuries during sport activities.

MethodsSixteen fresh un-embalmed cadaveric hands were harvested from eight cadavers. A total of 20 healthy volunteers' hands and 44 patients with fingers or thumb deformity due to sports-related injuries were included in this study. All subjects had MR examination with T1-weighted images and proton density-weighted imaging with fat suppression (PD FS) in axial, coronal, and sagittal plane, respectively. Subsequently, all 16 cadaveric hands were sliced into 2-mm thick slab with a band saw (six in coronal plane, six in sagittal plane, and four in axial plane). The correlation of anatomic sections and the MRI characteristics of tendons of fingers and the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) at the metacarpal phalangeal joint (MCPJ) of thumb between 20 healthy volunteers and 44 patients (confirmed by surgery) were analyzed.

ResultsThe normal ligaments and tendons in 16 cadaveric hands and 20 volunteers' hands showed uniform low-signal intensity on all the sequences of the MRI. Among 44 patients with tendinous and ligamentous injuries in the fingers or thumb, 12 cases with UCL injury at MCPJ of the thumb (Stener lesion = 8 and non-Stener lesion = 4), 6 cases with the central slip injury, 12 cases with terminal tendon injury, and 14 cases with flexor digitorum profundus injury. The ligaments and tendons disruption manifested as increased signal intensity and poor definition, discontinuity, and heterogeneous signal intensity of the involved ligaments and tendons.

ConclusionsSports injury-related fingers and thumb deformity are relatively common. MRI is an accurate method for evaluation of the anatomy and pathologic conditions of the fingers and thumb. It is a useful tool for accurate diagnosis of the sports-related ligaments and tendons injuries in hand.

Adult ; Athletic Injuries ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Female ; Hand Deformities ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Humans ; Ligaments ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Metacarpophalangeal Joint ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Middle Aged ; Soft Tissue Injuries ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Tendon Injuries ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Thumb ; abnormalities ; surgery

OBJECTIVES: To study the injury manners of Bennett fracture and Rolando fracture and explore its identification principle of the first metacarpal base fractures. METHODS: Totally 31 cases of Bennett fracture and Rolando fracture were collected. The injury manners of cases of 19 Bennett fractures and 12 Rolando fracture were classified, and various injury manners were analysed statistically. RESULTS: The injury manners of the cases of 19 Bennett fracture and 12 Rolando fracture were divided into three types, including the first metacarpus hit hard objects during a punching, the first metacarpus hit hard objects when making fists and fell, or the first metacarpus was punched by hard objects when making fists. CONCLUSIONS The injury mechanism of Bennett fracture and Rolando fracture is formed by a force on the first metacarpus when making fists, which transmits to the basilar part along the vertical axis of metacarpus. The inference of injury manners should be focused on the confirmation of entrusted matters.
Epiphyses ; Fracture Fixation, Internal/methods* ; Fractures, Bone/surgery* ; Humans ; Joint Dislocations/surgery* ; Metacarpus/injuries* ; Thumb/injuries*

Inevitable immobilization after surgery on lower extremities can induce chronic constipation. Elderly diabetic women usually express ambiguous gastrointestinal symptoms and signs. We present here a case of panperitonitis developed from severe fecal impaction in an elderly diabetic woman after hand reconstruction using material harvested from the lower extremities. A 68-year-old diabetic female underwent anterolateral thigh free flap and wound revision twice on the left thumb. Three weeks after surgery, she complained about mild abdominal pain though she had daily defecation. Despite encouraging ambulation, her compliance was low. Resection of the sigmoid colon and colostomy were performed after diagnosis with bowel perforation. However, the patient went into septic shock and died with multiorgan failure after the guardians issued a DNR (do not resuscitate) order. For preventing bowel perforation, increased uptake of dietary fiber and early ambulation postoperatively should be encouraged, after even hand surgeries.
Abdominal Pain ; Aged* ; Colon, Sigmoid ; Colostomy ; Compliance ; Constipation ; Defecation ; Diabetes Complications ; Diagnosis ; Dietary Fiber ; Disabled Persons ; Early Ambulation ; Fecal Impaction ; Female ; Free Tissue Flaps* ; Hand ; Humans ; Immobilization* ; Lower Extremity ; Shock, Septic ; Thigh* ; Thumb* ; Walking ; Wounds and Injuries

PURPOSE: Electric saw is widely used and patients involved with the tool are increasing. We made efforts to analyze data of saw-related hand injuries. METHODS: Electric saw-related hand injuries that required operation were analyzed retrospectively by reviewing medical charts, clinical photographs and X-ray films from 2009 through 2013. Additionally, we interviewed patients regarding the type of electric saw involved (hand-held/table-mounted) and how the hand was injured. RESULTS: There were 16 male patients with 19 injured fingers and 22 injured tendons. Due to the damaging mechanism of the electric saw, injuries were severe and complex such as tendon, bone defects, fractures and amputations. 4 fingers had open fractures. Separately, 4 were amputated. Non-dominant hands were injured more by hand-held saw, while, dominant hands were damaged more by table-mounted saw. The thumb and index fingers were injured mostly by electric saw. Probability of dominant and non-dominant hand injury depends on the types of electric saw because of the working position when using this tool. CONCLUSION: Hand injuries can be classified according to the type of electronic saw used. Complete understanding of a specific trauma mechanism and the resulting injury patterns is important especially for hand surgeons. Surgeons should take into account the type of electric saw when examining patients. However, the most important step to prevent these types of injuries is to provide all workers with appropriate training and precautions before using the electric saw.
Amputation ; Finger Injuries ; Fingers ; Fractures, Open ; Hand Injuries* ; Hand* ; Humans ; Korea* ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Rupture ; Tendon Injuries ; Tendons ; Thumb ; X-Ray Film

PURPOSE: We aimed to describe the difference in the epidemiologic and clinical characteristics by age groups of the children with hand injuries requiring surgery who visited the emergency department (ED) of a community hospital that runs a hand center. METHODS: We reviewed 388 consecutive children with hand injuries requiring surgery, aged < 16 years, who visited the ED from January 2011 through September 2016. Information was obtained regarding age and gender of the children, seasonal and daily distribution of the visits, location, cause, site, and level of the injury, the diagnosis, and presence of serious injury. The children were classified into 3 age groups; toddlers (0 to 3 years), preschoolers (4 to 6 years), and schoolers (7 to 15 years). Severe injury was defined as amputation or crush injury. RESULTS: Mean age of the children was 7.4 ± 5.0 years and boys accounted for 65.7%. The most frequent visits occurred during the weekend (53.1%) and in spring (30.7%), and most children visited the ED with injuries that occurred at home and indoors (55.2% and 79.9%, respectively). The most common cause, site, and level of the injury were sharp object (34.8%), fingers other than the thumb and index finger (64.7%), and the distal phalanx (46.7%), respectively. In the toddler group, domestic, indoor, door-related, and distal phalanx injuries were more common than in the schooler group (P < 0.001). Physical contact or sharp object-related injuries increased with increasing age (P < 0.001). Severe injuries were more common among the toddlers than the schoolers (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In the toddler group, domestic, indoor, door-related, distal phalanx, and severe injuries were more common than in the schooler group. These characteristics by age groups would aid in preventing hand injury in children, especially toddlers.
Amputation ; Child* ; Diagnosis ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Fingers ; Hand Injuries* ; Hand* ; Hospitals, Community ; Humans ; Pediatrics ; Seasons ; Thumb

OBJECTIVETo explore the relative factors on the failure in digit replantation in order to take preventions to control the risk factors.

METHODSFrom January 2013 to December 2013, 236 consecutive patients (311 fingers) underwent digit replantation were collected to analyze retrospectively, involving 183 males and 53 females with an average age of 34.5 years old ranging from 2 to 62 years old (6 cases under 6 years old and 230 cases elder than 6 years old). There were 51 thumbs, 87 index fingers, 78 middle fingers, 63 ring fings and 32 little thumbs. Forty cases(forty fings) who were failured as the observation group, the others as the control group. The factors of age, gender, finger, cause of injury, smoking history, ischemia duration, plane of division, condition of venous drainage and condition of arterial repair we assessed.

RESULTSAll 236 cases with 311 fingers were replanted, 40 fingers were failured after operation. The relative factors on the failure in digit replantation included smoking history, cause of injury, plane of division, condition of venous drainage and condition of arterial repair (P< 0.05). There were no significant correlation between the failure and age, gender, finger and ischemia duration (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSmoking history, causes of injury, plane of division, condition of venous drainage and condition of arterial repair are risks of failure in digit replantation. Before choosing the type of operation, it should be think about the patient's general conditions, injury status, grasp firmly the operative indications and actively carry out surgical treatment.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Female ; Finger Injuries ; surgery ; Fingers ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; Replantation ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Thumb ; injuries ; surgery ; Treatment Failure ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo summarize the therapeutic effect of free perforator hypothenar flap for thumb pulp defect.

METHODSFrom Jun. 2012 to Mar. 2013,8 cases with thumb pulp defect accompanied with exposure of phalanges ans tendons were treated by free ipsilateral perforator hypothenar flap. The flaps were 1.4 cm x 2.0 cm-1.8 cm x 2.2 cm in size. Ulnar finger artery in the flap was anastomosed with thumb artery. The accompanied veins and superficial veins were respectively anastomosed with thumb dorsal veins. Nerve branches in flaps were sutured with unilateral finger nerve to reconstruct flap feeling with 9-0 thread. Wounds in the hypothenar donor site were sutured directly.

RESULTSAll the flaps survived completely with primary healing both in donor and recipient area. 8 cases (8 fingers) were followed up for 6-13 months (average 9 months). The flaps appearance, texture were good. The two-point discrimination distance on flap was 7-10 mm. The active and passive movement of thumb joints was normal. There was no complain about the feeling at the donor site. Linear scar was left on the donor site. Patients hand grip strength was not decreased.

CONCLUSIONSThe free perforator hypothenar flap which has constant vascular anatomy is a new method for thumb soft tissue defect with less morbidity to donor site. The operative procedures are relatively simple.

Cicatrix ; etiology ; Finger Phalanges ; Fingers ; blood supply ; Hand Strength ; Humans ; Perforator Flap ; transplantation ; Tendons ; Thumb ; injuries ; Ulnar Artery ; surgery ; Veins ; Wound Healing