European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Abstract

Soft tissue defects of the thumb with exposed tendon or bone require coverage with a flap for better function and cosmesis. Dorsolateral artery flap for reconstruction of the thumb defects has advantage of being axial and local flap with minimal donor site morbidity.
Methods: Fourteen patients with soft tissue thumb defects following trauma, tumor, or scar excision were included in this study.
Results: Eleven patients presented with thumb defects due to trauma, two patients had post-scar excision defects and one patient had a defect after excising a benign vascular lesion. Among 14 patients, 12 were males and 2 were females. The static two-point discrimination at 6 months was 7 to 9 mm in all the flaps used to reconstruct palmar pulp defects. In all the patients, donor sites were closed primarily with no need for skin grafting.
Conclusion: Reverse Dorsoradial flap is a reliable, axial pattern, easy-to-harvest flap and provides a good reconstructive option for coverage of distal thumb defects. This flap has the obvious advantage of avoiding an unsightly scar left by FDMA and cross finger flaps, as the secondary defect can be closed primarily.