Assessment of soft tissue reconstruction of the thumb after injuries

Abstract

Background: This study is to formulate a strategic approach for soft tissue reconstruction of the thumb and study of different modalities of soft tissue reconstruction of the thumb and try to clarify advantage and discuss complication of each modality.Methods: This is a prospective study done on 20 patients with thumb defects and deformities, presented at Menoufia University and Al-Ahrar Zagazig Teaching Hospitals during the period from January 2017 to July 2019. They were 14 Males and 6 females classified according to age, sex, type of trauma, dominant hand, type of flap used for reconstruction.Results: The most type of injury was trauma in all technique accept digital artery perforator (DAP) flap and groin flap of the half patients were trauma (50%) and other half were post burn (50%).  Most patients were early timing of interference in all techniques accept replantation was immediate time of interference (100%) and groin flap was late time of interference (100%). Most patients in Moberg flap had minimal scare complication (60%). Whereas half patients had minimal scare complication in replantation, little flap and DAP flap (50%, 50% and 50%). While half patients had volar contracture, graft complication in thumb cross finger and groin flap (50% and 50%).Conclusions: Replantation is the first choice for thumb amputations proximal to the base of the distal phalanx. It is impossible or fails, other methods of thumb reconstruction. Thumb cross finger flap is an excellent reconstructive technique for larger volar and tip defects of the thumb, up to 2-3 cm2.