Summary
In degloving injury of the thumb the large skin defect needs cover with sensate, glabrous
and pliable skin. Although coverage of this defect with a sensate free flap from the
foot is the best choice, most commonly, cover is achieved using a non-sensate distant
pedicle flap. Between 2001 and 2003, degloving injuries of the thumb in eight patients
were reconstructed using a sensate radial forearm flap in the sensory territory of
the lateral ante-brachial nerve of the forearm which was repaired to the digital nerve
of the thumb (six cases) or to a branch of the sensory radial nerve (two cases). Follow-up
period ranged from 17 to 41 months (mean: 29.9 months). Sensory evaluation was performed
using the moving two point discrimination (M-2PD) and static two point discrimination
(S-2PD) of the volar forearm skin. These altered significantly after transfer and
their values approached those of the contra-lateral thumb but never reached normal
sensation (p<0.01). Sensate radial forearm island flap is a reliable option to cover a large defect
of the thumb such as degloving injury and the sensation produced is acceptable.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: July 26, 2006
Accepted:
May 9,
2006
Received:
November 24,
2005
Identification
Copyright
© 2006 The British Association of Plastic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
