Soft tissue injuries of the hands have been treated using various types of flaps.
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However, conventional flaps may be inappropriate in some cases due to size limitations
and arc of rotation, flap bulkiness, sacrifice of an artery, a long operation time,
the need for microsurgery techniques, and others. A possible promising alternative
to the management of such scenarios is a venous island flap, which relies on the venous
system alone for flap perfusion. Venous flaps decrease morbidity at donor sites because
they do not require sacrifice an artery or deep dissection. They are also thin and
pliable. Because of these advantages, venous flaps are potential ideal candidates
for the repair of soft tissue defects of the hands and fingers. However, their unconventional
perfusion patterns and inconsistent survival make them a less likely choice than other
conventional flaps.
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References
- Clinical applications of venous flaps in the reconstruction of hands and fingers.Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. 2011; 131: 65-74
- Island flaps with an exclusively venous pedicle. A report of eleven cases and a preliminary haemodynamic study.Br J Plast Surg. 1987; 40: 149-154
- The pedicled venous flap. Clinical applications.Br J Plast Surg. 1993; 46: 68-71
- Four types of venous flaps for wound coverage: a clinical appraisal.J Trauma. 1991; 31: 1286-1293
- Venous flap – its classification and clinical-applications.Microsurgery. 1994; 15: 571-578
Article info
Publication history
Published online: August 06, 2012
Received:
April 6,
2012
Identification
Copyright
© 2012 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
