Repair Of Skin Defects Research Articles

Anatomical Characteristics of Cutaneous Branches Extending From the Second Dorsal Metacarpal Artery.

BackgroundA second dorsal metacarpal artery cutaneous branches flap is often used to repair skin defects in the hand. The location of the cutaneous branch of that artery is very critical for the removal of the flap. In this study, we quantitatively analyzed the origin of the cutaneous branches of the second dorsal metacarpalartery and the distribution characteristics of the radial and ulnar side to provide an anatomical basis for designing a flap.MethodsSixteen upper limb specimens were perfused with latex. Four specimens were infused with ethyl acetate plus plastic, and four specimens were perfused with red latex to create pellucid specimens. The origin, travel paths, and distribution of the cutaneous branches of the second dorsal metacarpal artery were anatomically observed, and we measured the length of the cutaneous branch from the midpoint of the second web space edge. We also measured the diameters and pedicle lengths of the radial and ulnar distributions of cutaneous branches of the second dorsal metacarpal artery.ResultsThe cutaneous branches of the second dorsal metacarpal artery were mainly clustered at three positions, the second cluster point was at 43.9%, the fourth cluster point was at 61.2%, and the fifth cluster point was at 72.1%. The first cluster point was at 30.8% and the sixth cluster point was at 85.6%. The diameter and pedicle length of the sixth cluster point were the largest. There was no significant difference in the distribution of the diameters and pedicle lengths of the cutaneous branch between the radial and ulnar side. The second dorsal metacarpal artery sent out 1–2 cutaneous branches before the tendon joint, and formed a blood vessel anastomosis with other cutaneous branches located further from the tendon joint. The dorsal branch of the radial nerve in the hand extended a nerve branch at the wrist joint and traveled between the cutaneous branches of the second dorsal metacarpal artery to dominate the corresponding skin.ConclusionThree clusters in the distal second dorsal metacarpal artery were selected to be the flap pedicle containing a cutaneous nerve for use in repairing a skin defect in the hand and fingers.

Modified V-Y Myocutaneous Flap With Vascular Pedicle for the Repair of Maxillofacial Skin Defects.

It is challenging to repair postoperative defect caused by skin tumor resection on the maxillofacial, which not only affects appearance but also impairs functions. To better repair skin defect on the maxillofacial, the application value of V-Y vascular myocutaneous flap was introduced in our study. Between June 2011 and December 2018, 16 patients with maxillofacial skin tumors who received extensive resection were enrolled in our study. The defect on the maxillofacial was repaired by V-Y vascular myocutaneous flap. The follow-up period lasted for 12 to 24 months. All 16 cases of myocutaneous flaps survived with 1 case of partial venous congestion and 1 case of partial distal necrosis. No recurrence occurred during follow-up. The color and texture of myocutaneous flaps like those of the surrounding skin. Featured with better freeness, larger repair range and aesthetic effect of "kite" flaps, V-Y vascular myocutaneous flap can repair the superior border of zygomatic arch pedicled with facial artery and repair 1.5 cm above the superior border of zygomatic arch pedicled with transverse facial artery for elderly patients in Asia.

Multifunctional Alginate Hydrogel Protects and Heals Skin Defects in Complex Clinical Situations.

Skin defects, soft tissue damage, and fractures often occur simultaneously in severe trauma. Under current medical technology, fractures can be quickly fixed by internal or external repair techniques, and early functional exercises can be performed. However, skin defects heal over a long time and can even be difficult to heal. Functional exercise may cause cutting of fresh granulation to break and impair wound healing. Functional exercise and wound healing seem to contradict each other. In this study, an alginate hydrogel was developed. With self-healing characteristics, the hydrogel tightly adhered to the wound and could self-heal breaks in the gel caused by functional exercises. These characteristics enable this hydrogel to be used in complex clinical situations to solve sports rehabilitation and skin defect repair problems. In addition, this hydrogel can slowly release strontium ions, promote angiogenesis and collagen deposition in the wound, and quickly heal the wound.

Repair of skin and soft tissue defects in shoulder and elbow with rotator scapular artery perforator flap, lateral thoracic perforator flap, or medial brachial artery perforator flap

From January 2014 to June 2018, 12 patients with skin and soft tissue defects in shoulder and elbow were admitted to General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University with skin and soft tissue defect size of 6 cm×5 cm to 11 cm×8 cm, including 9 males and 3 females aged 15-56 years. Wounds of 5 patients were repaired with rotator scapular artery perforator flap (flap area of 8 cm×7 cm to 12 cm×6 cm), and the donor flap area was sutured directly. Wounds of 3 patients were repaired with lateral thoracic perforator flap (flap area of 8 cm×7 cm to 13 cm×9 cm). The donor flap area of two patients was sutured directly, the majority of the donor flap area of one patient was sutured directly, and a small part was covered by split-thickness skin graft from ipsilateral thigh. Wounds of 4 patients were repaired with medial brachial artery perforator flap (flap area of 6 cm×5 cm to 12 cm×10 cm). The donor flap area of two patients was sutured directly, and two patients were covered with split-thickness skin graft from left chest wall. The flaps of 11 patients survived after surgery. Blood flow disorder at the distal end of the flap was observed in one patient. After treatment, the distal end of the flap presented 3 cm×2 cm necrosis, and the skin graft survived after second skin grafting and debridement. During the follow-up of 6 to 24 months post surgery, all patients had good texture of flap, with light scar hyperplasia in the donor flap area, and good recovery of elbow and shoulder joint function. The rotator scapular artery perforator flap, lateral thoracic perforator flap, and medial brachial artery perforator flap with the advantages being of relatively simple operation, high survival rate, and good surgical outcome, are good choices for repairing the skin and soft tissue defects in shoulder and elbow.

Cover Image

The cover image is based on the Original Article Hair follicle stem cells combined with human allogeneic acellular amniotic membrane for repair of full thickness skin defects in nude mice by Renfu Quan, Jinfu Wang, Huateng Zhou et al., https://doi.org/10.1002/term.3035.

A Method to Reproduce Symmetry in Midfacial Reconstruction: A Report of 19 Cases.

ABSTRACTBACKGROUNDReconstruction of facial skin defects remains a clinical challenge. With aging, ptosis of tissue over fixed structures creates an important facial feature known as the tear trough. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and aesthetic outcome of a novel surgical technique that reproduced this facial feature while avoiding ectropion during midfacial skin defect repair.METHODSNineteen patients with midfacial skin defects received local flap reconstruction combined with an anchoring suture. The flap was designed in a unilateral pedicled V-Y pattern. When the flap was advanced to cover the defect, one or two sutures that connected the dermis of the flap with the infraorbital periosteum were made to reproduce the tear trough line.RESULTS: Midfacial defects were successfully repaired with the V-Y flap in all 19 patients. No lower eyelid ectropion or conspicuous scars were noted in any of the patients. Further, the tear trough was successfully reconstructed in each patient. Facial symmetry was maintained with static positioning and animation.CONCLUSIONSThe combination of local V-Y flap reconstruction with anchoring sutures to reproduce facial feature lines is an effective technique in midfacial skin defect repair.

Reliability and Versatility of Reverse Sural Island Neurofasciocutaneous Leg Flaps.

Distally based sural neurofasciocutaneous (NFC) flaps are a commonly used method for foot and ankle reconstruction given that they are much simpler and, at the same time, still efficient alternative to perforator flaps and free style free flaps. This study aims to evaluate the reliability and versatility of reverse sural island NFC flaps as a powerful and efficient method that can be used for repair of lower leg skin defects. This method does not require microsurgical facilities or extensive training. Patients with soft tissue defects of the distal third of the leg and ankle region received reverse sural island NFC flaps. Inclusion criteria included an absence of damage to the sural neurovascular axis or communicating perforators, absence of peripheral vascular disease, and the presence of soft tissue defects deep enough to expose tendon or bone. Patients were assessed for flap (defect) size, pedicle length and location of defects, postoperative flap survival rates, and complications. Donor sites were closed directly or skin grafted. Of 24 consecutive patient (20 male; 4 female), all flaps except 1 (4.16%), survived, although partial necrosis was observed in 2 patients (8.33%). The overall major complication rate was 12.50%. Epidermolysis was noted in 1 patient (4.16%). Three cases of transient venous congestion resolved without additional complications. The overall minor complication rate was 16.66%. Minimal complications were associated with healing of donor sites. Reverse sural island NFC flaps provide adequate and aesthetically very acceptable coverage of soft tissue defects of the distal lower leg and proximal foot with no functional impairment.

Superficial temporal artery composite perforator flap in repair of temporal skin and soft tissue defects and reconstruction of sideburns

To investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of repairing temporal skin and soft tissue defects and reconstructing sideburns with superficial temporal artery composite perforator flap. Between January 2018 and January 2019, 12 patients with temporal tumors were treated. There were 5 males and 7 females with an average age of 51 years (range, 37-68 years). There were 8 cases of basal cell carcinoma and 4 cases of squamous cell carcinoma. The disease duration ranged from 3 months to 4 years (mean, 13 months). The area of residual wound after tumor resection was 3.8 cm×2.5 cm-5.2 cm×3.5 cm. The superficial temporal artery composite perforator flap was designed. The hairy superficial temporal artery frontal branch perforator flap was used to repair the hair growing area and reconstruct the sideburn; and the area of the flap was 2.5 cm×1.0 cm-4.2 cm×3.0 cm. And the superficial temporal artery descending branch perforator flap without hair was used to repair the hair-free area; and the area of the flap was 2.5 cm×1.5 cm-7.5 cm×4.0 cm. The donor sites were sutured directly. All flaps survived, and the incisions at the donor and recipient sites healed by first intention. Eleven patients were followed up 6-12 months (mean, 9 months). The incisions were not obvious. The flaps were flat and the color of the flaps were not significantly different from the surrounding skin. The reconstructed sideburns were consistent with the healthy side and the facial appearance was satisfactory. No local tumor recurred during follow-up. For the temporal skin and soft tissue defects involving the sideburn, the superficial temporal artery composite perforator flap can be used to repair subunits with different aesthetic characteristics in sections and has the advantages of operating simply, obtaining satisfied facial appearance, and little effect on the donor site.

Double crosslinked HLC-CCS hydrogel tissue engineering scaffold for skin wound healing

Skin defects caused by various reasons are currently common clinical problems. At present, hydrogels have been proposed as tissue-engineered skin scaffolds to regenerate the tissues of the defect. We used human-like collagen (HLC), which was isolated and purified after high-density fermentation of recombinant E. coli BL21 The gel uses HLC and carboxymethylated chitosan (CCS) as raw materials and combines enzyme-chemical double cross-linking technology to form a three-dimensional porous network structure that mimics the human extracellular matrix, providing attachment points and nutrients for cell growth and proliferation. For comparison, we used a common hydrogel raw material, gelatin, to prepare a hydrogel in the same way. The experimental results show that the HLC-CCS skin scaffold hydrogel has good mechanical properties, high porosity and good histocompatibility. And full-thickness skin defect repair experiments show that this hydrogel has a good ability to promote skin tissue regeneration at the wound. In summary, this HLC-based double-crosslinked hydrogel can be used as a project strategy for skin defect repair.

Hair follicle stem cells combined with human allogeneic acellular amniotic membrane for repair of full thickness skin defects in nude mice.

Repair of large skin defects caused by burns, trauma, or tumor operations is a clinical challenge. Hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) are involved in epithelialization of wounds, formation of new hair follicles and promote vascularization in the newly formed skin, and human acellular amniotic membrane (hAAM) is a promising scaffold for skin substitute. Here, we investigated the ability of rat HFSCs (rHFSCs) combined with an hAAM to repair full thickness skin defects in nude mice. The effect of the rHFSC-hAAM composite on the repair of skin defects in nude mice was assessed by hematoxylin and eosin staining, immunohistochemistry, and EdU-labeled cell tracking. Isolated and cultured rHFSCs had strong cloning and proliferation potentials. Immunofluorescence staining and flow cytometry assays showed that rHFSCs expressed high levels of integrin α6, CK15, p63, and Sox9. Cells cultured in hAAM showed flaky and cluster-like morphology and were able to adhere and grow effectively. After transplantation, the rHFSC-hAAM composite promoted wound healing in nude mice. Moreover, cells in the rHFSC-hAAM composite were directly involved in hair follicle formation and angiogenesis of tissue around the hair follicle. These results provide an experimental and theoretical basis for the clinical application of HFSCs in repair of human skin defects and a new approach for skin tissue engineering.

Status and challenges of tissue-engineered skin

Autologous split-thickness skin grafting is still an important procedure for the repair of skin defect. However, there are some obvious limitations, such as new injury to skin donor sites and insufficient skin source, etc. It is an ideal goal to develop tissue-engineered skin to realize permanent replacement of skin defect. After decades of development, a variety of tissue-engineered skins have been put into the market for applications, but it is still a long way to achieve regenerative repair of skin defect. In this article, we summarize the status of various tissue-engineered skins, and then make a preliminary discussion on the opportunities and challenges on development of tissue-engineered skin.

Effect of Continuous Skin Temperature Monitoring on Nursing Care for Patients After Flap Transplantation for Hand Skin Defect Repair

Objective: The article aims to explore the effect of continuous skin temperature monitoring on nursing for flap transplantation for repairing hand skin soft tissue defect. Methods: We selected 70 patients who received flap transplantation for hand skin soft tissue defect repair from April 2016 to April 2018 in a hospital and averagely randomized them into control group and observation group. Both groups were given routine nursing and the observation group also received continuous skin temperature monitoring. The incidence of vascular crisis, length of stay and duration of wound healing were compared between the two groups. Results: The incidence of vascular crisis, length of stay and duration of wound healing of the observation group were significantly lower than those of the control group (P<0.05). Conclusions: Continuous skin temperature monitoring has a great effect on the nursing for patients who received flap transplantation for hand skin defect repair. It can help detect circulatory crisis earlier so that medical staff can give intervention earlier, which can effectively reduce occurrence of complications of vascular crisis and thus is worth clinical application.

Repair effect of xenogeneic acellular dermal matrix during external auditory canal reconstruction after canal wall down mastoidectomy

Background: In some cases, there is insufficient external auditory canal (EAC) skin to cover the reconstructed canal wall after canal wall down (CWD) mastoidectomy. Acellular dermal matrix (ADM) can help to repair the skin, mucosa and other epidermal tissue defects.Aims: To investigate the repair effect of xenogeneic ADM (xeno-ADM) for EAC skin defects.Material and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 28 patients who underwent open mastoidectomy combined with canal wall reconstruction and mastoid obliteration in our hospital. The xeno-ADM was used to repair the EAC skin defect. The epithelialization time, dressing change times, complications and hearing improvement post-operation were summarized and analyzed.Results: Reasons for using xeno-ADM included: 11 (39.3%) cases suffered from extensive middle ear cholesteatoma, three (10.7%) cases suffered from advanced EAC cholesteatoma, eight (28.6%) cases to solve the cavity-related problems, and six (21.4%) patients had a narrow EAC. The postoperative epithelialization time was 5.8 ± 1.6 weeks, and the number of dressing changes was 4.8 ± 1.6 times. There was no xeno-ADM rejection and related complications, the postoperative hearing improvement was statistically significant (p = .013).Conclusions and Significance: Xeno-ADM could be a safe, effective and simple method for repairing skin defect in the reconstruction of EAC after CWD mastoidectomy.

Application of free wrist crease radial artery perforator flap for repair of finger skin defects

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of free wrist crease radial artery perforator flap for repair of finger skin defects. Methods From July 2015 to May 2018, 42 patients with finger skin defects were treated. All the wounds were combined with bone and tendon exposure and repaired with free wrist crease radial artery perforator flap. The area of skin defects ranged from 1.5 cm×1.2 cm to 3.9 cm×2.0 cm. The patients were followed up regularly after operation. The survival of the flaps and the functional recovery of the repair site were observed, and the clinical efficacy was evaluated. Results All the flaps survived without vascular crisis. The follow-up period was 5 to 28 months, with an average of 13.5 months. The flaps had good blood supply, soft texture and good elasticity. Among them, 2 flaps were slightly bulky and the appearance was improved after secondary plasty. The movement and sensory function of the affected fingers recovered well. Conclusion The application of free wrist crease radial artery perforator flap for repair of finger skin defects can achieve good clinical efficacy postoperatively. Key words: Finger injuries; Surgical flap; Radial artery; Microsurgery

Penile resurfacing using a reverse bilateral anterior scrotal artery flap

Rationale:Circumcision is one of the most frequently used surgical procedures worldwide. Extensive penile skin defects, which can occur as a rare but severe complication of circumcision, are serious and frustrating problems for patients who experience them. Procedures for correcting these problems can pose a challenge to plastic surgeons in the clinic.Patient concerns:A 31-year-old man was admitted to our care with an extensive defect of the penile skin caused by a circumcision performed 20 days previously.Primary diagnoses:Infection, necrosis, and defects of the penile skin.Interventions:A reverse bilateral anterior scrotal flap was used to correct complete penile skin loss following debridement of the infected and necrotic tissue.Outcomes:The patient experienced no complications during the 10-year follow-up period. The patient reported normal erectile function and the ability to perform intercourse.Lessons:The reverse bilateral anterior scrotal artery flap is suitable for repairing skin defects of the penis and allows for satisfactory cosmetic and functional improvement following defects of the penile skin.

Using the keystone design perforator island flap in large myelomeningocele closure.

Many repair techniques have been proposed to treat large myelomeningocele (MMC), and although effective in many cases, some of these techniques can be complex and time consuming, with complications such as cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage, flap loss, tip necrosis, and wound dehiscence. The purpose of this study was to analyze cases of large skin defects and the methods applied and to report the outcomes of the keystone design perforator island flap (KDPIF) technique for large MMC closure. The authors performed a retrospective review of all neonatal patients who had undergone KDPIF for MMC closure in the period from 2013 to 2018. All patients had a diagnosis of lumbosacral MMC based on obstetric ultrasound. The neurosurgeons and plastic surgeons had selected the cases after concluding that primary closure would be unlikely. The design of the flap is based on the randomly located vascular perforators, creating two identical opposing flaps to fashion a double keystone flap. During wound closure, V-Y advancement of each end of the double flap in the longitudinal axis creates redundancy in the central portion of the flap and reduces the horizontal tension. After discharge, both the neurosurgery and plastic surgery teams followed up all patients, tracking the results with photography. No skin flap dehiscence or necrosis, infection, or CSF leakage was detected, proving the reliability of the flap. One of the patients required further surgery for the large skin defects after insufficient intrauterine closure of the MMC and successfully underwent KDPIF treatment. Another patient (14.3%) had severe neonatal sepsis, which ultimately led to death. A ventriculoperitoneal shunt was required after the skin defect repair in 5 (83.3%) of the 6 surviving patients. Exceptional aesthetic results were achieved for all patients during the follow-up. The KDPIF technique is based on well-known vascular perforators of the intercostal, lumbar, and gluteal regions. Wound tension is widely distributed by the flap and, as a consequence, relevant tissue bulk, reliable vascularity, and important geometrical versatility are provided. In addition, most of the muscles and fascia are preserved, which is another advantage in terms of minimizing secondary morbidity to local tissue rearrangement. The use of KDPIF closure was successfully shown to be a viable alternative for more complex MMCs that present with large skin defects.

Betulinic Acid Enhances the Viability of Random-Pattern Skin Flaps by Activating Autophagy.

Random-pattern skin flap replantation is commonly used to repair skin defects during plastic and reconstructive surgery. However, flap necrosis due to ischemia and ischemia–reperfusion injury limits clinical applications. Betulinic acid, a plant-derived pentacyclic triterpene, may facilitate flap survival. In the present study, the effects of betulinic acid on flap survival and the underlying mechanisms were assessed. Fifty-four mice with a dorsal random flap model were randomly divided into the control, betulinic acid group, and the betulinic acid + 3-methyladenine group. These groups were treated with dimethyl sulfoxide, betulinic acid, and betulinic acid plus 3-methyladenine, respectively. Flap tissues were acquired on postoperative day 7 to assess angiogenesis, apoptosis, oxidative stress, and autophagy. Betulinic acid promoted survival of the skin flap area, reduced tissue edema, and enhanced the number of microvessels. It also enhanced angiogenesis, attenuated apoptosis, alleviated oxidative stress, and activated autophagy. However, its effects on flap viability and angiogenesis, apoptosis, and oxidative stress were reversed by the autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine. Our findings reveal that betulinic acid improves survival of random-pattern skin flaps by promoting angiogenesis, dampening apoptosis, and alleviating oxidative stress, which mediates activation of autophagy.

Application of local flaps in repair of defects after resection of nasal skin tumors

Objective To evaluate the effect of local flaps on repair of defects after surgical removal of nasal skin tumors. Methods A total of 65 patients with nasal skin tumors were enrolled from Department of Dermatology, People′s Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region between March 2015 and August 2016, and subjected to surgical removal of the nasal skin tumors. According to the location, size, shape and surrounding skin of the nasal defects, nasolabial fold flaps, modified rhomboid flaps, bilobed flaps or frontal nasal flaps were chosen to repair skin and soft tissue defects. Results Of the 65 patients with nasal skin tumors, 38 had basal cell carcinoma, 20 pigmented nevus, 5 keratoacanthoma, and 2 had squamous cell carcinoma. The lengths of the defects after resection were all below 2.5 cm. Nasolabial fold flaps were used in 32 cases, modified rhomboid flaps in 16, bilobed flaps in 12, and frontal nasal flaps in 5. All the flaps survived after the surgery, and no obvious deformation of the nose was observed. No recurrence was observed during 1 year of follow-up. Conclusion For skin defects with the length ≤ 2.5 cm after resection of nasal skin tumors, nasolabial fold flaps, modified rhomboid flaps, bilobed flaps and frontal nasal flaps can be used to repair wounds, with satisfactory efficacy. Key words: Skin neoplasms; Nasal surgical procedures; Surgical flaps; Local flaps

Clinical application of single or bilobed free anterolateral thigh flaps with fascia lata in repair of dorsal skin and tendon defects of hand and foot

Objective To explore the clinical efficacy of single or bilobed free anterolateral thigh flaps with fascia lata in repair of dorsal skin and tendon defects of hand and foot. Methods From January 2014 to March 2018, 18 patients with dorsal skin and tendon defects of hand and foot were repaired with single or bilobed free anterolateral thigh flaps with fascia lata, including 14 cases of dorsal hand wound and 4 cases of dorsal foot wound. Among them, 1 case was accompanied with 1 tendon defect, 5 cases with 2 tendon defects, 8 cases with 3 tendon defects, 3 cases with 4 tendon defects, and 1 case with 5 tendon defects. There were 12 cases of single lobed flaps and 6 cases of bilobed flaps. 6 cases underwent secondary flap plastic surgery and tenolysis after operation. Results All the 18 flaps survived and the wound achieved primary healing. The donor site of thigh healed well with only linear scar. The follow-up period was 6 to 24 months with an average of 13 months. 14 cases of dorsal skin defects in hand were evaluated according to the criteria issued by the Hand Surgery Society of the Chinese Medical Association with the results being excellent in 6 cases, good in 7 cases, poor in 1 case. 4 cases of dorsal skin defects in foot had good functional recovery, no toe droop and no limitation of walking function. The appearance and texture of the flaps were excellent in 11 cases. No re-rupture or adhesion of extensor tendon occurred. 6 cases underwent second operation to thin the skin flaps 3 months after operation because of unsatisfactory shape. 4 of them had tendon adhesion after hand wound repair. The tenolysis was performed at the same time of skin flaps thinning. The appearance and function of the flaps recovered satisfactorily. Conclusion The single or bilobed free anterolateral thigh flaps with fascia lata in repair of dorsal skin and tendon defects of hand and foot have little damage to donor site. It is an ideal method for repairing such injuries for good recovery of hand and foot function. Key words: Surgical flaps; Treatment outcome; Fascia lata; Skin defects; Tendon defects

Application of finger lateral local flaps for repair of dorsal skin defect of fingers

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of finger lateral local flaps in repairing dorsal skin defect of proximal and middle segments of fingers. Methods From July 2017 to July 2018, 17 cases of dorsal skin defect of proximal and middle segments of fingers were treated by transfer of finger lateral local flaps, including 6 cases of dorsal proximal segment and 11 cases of dorsal middle segment. The size of the flaps ranged from 1.0 cm×1.5 cm to 1.5 cm×3.5 cm. Full thickness skin grafts were used to repair the donor sites. Results The follow-up time ranged from 3 to 12 months, with an average of 4 months. All the flaps survived. All the incisions achieved primary healing. The appearance and texture of the flaps were good. According to the upper extremity functional evaluation criteria issued by the Hand Society of the Chinese Medical Association, the results were excellent in 11 cases, good in 4 cases and fair in 2 cases. Conclusion The transfer of finger lateral local flaps is simple to operate and has satisfactory clinical efficacy. It is safe and reliable to repair the dorsal skin defect of the finger. Key words: Finger injuries; Surgical flaps; Skin defects