Successful repair of total hand degloving injury by avulsed skin in situ replantation through vascular transplantation: a case report

Reconstruction of mutilating hand injuries by microsurgical free tissue transfers from the foot

INTRODUCTION

The aim of this study is to present various hand reconstruction methods and provide technical notes regarding the treatment of mutilating hand injuries using free-tissue transfers from the foot and to investigate whether these transfers provide patients with a usable hand or not.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Ninety patients with mutilating hand injuries were included in the study. A total of 101 procedures were performed. Patients were contacted by phone to evaluate their working status and to record any complaints regarding their donor sites. The Quickdash questionnaire was conducted for the 53 patients who could be reached. Operative techniques, secondary procedures, finger survival, and physiotherapy data were noted retrospectively.

RESULTS

In 36 patients, a trimmed great toe was transferred to the thumb. Second toe-to-thumb transfers were performed in 8 patients, and second toe-to-finger transfers were performed in 10 patients. In 13 patients, 2 toes from one side were transferred, and in 6 patients, 3 toes were transferred to the hand. Bilateral toe transfers were performed in 9 patients. Eight patients underwent joint transfers, of which 2 involved joint transfers from both feet. The overall finger survival rate for the transfer procedures was 95.04%. The average Quickdash score of the patients who could be reached (n = 53) was 27.49, with 62.3% of the patients being able to use their hands in their previous jobs, and 26.4% needing to change their jobs because of their hand injuries. 41.5% of the patients had no donor site complaints. 47.2% had mild complaints, and 11.3% had major donor site complaints.

CONCLUSION

Multiple-toe transfer techniques along with flap coverage options should be considered, and delicate planning is mandatory to achieve at least a basic or acceptable hand. Three toes, including the great toe, can be transferred in a single operation by dissecting both the dorsal and plantar arterial systems. Crush injuries of the dorsal side of the hand may be reconstructed using combined transfers of bones, joints, extensor tendons, and skin. In our series, 88.7% of patients with mutilating hand injuries were able to return to work after we performed tissue transfers from the foot.

Revascularization of a Circumferential Hand and Forearm Degloving Injury Using an Arteriovenous Shunt

Major upper-extremity degloving injuries with distal dysvascularity are rare and challenging surgical problems. When these degloving injuries occur over nonexpendable regions, such as the glabrous skin of the palm and digits, revascularization or replantation may be the treatment of choice. Because the degloved skin flap is often separated in the suprafascial plane, direct arterial repair may be impossible. We present a rare case of circumferential degloving of the hand and forearm with distal dysvascularity, treated successfully with revascularization with arterial anastomosis, venous anastomosis, and arteriovenous shunt creation. The patient required reoperation for partial flap loss and ligation of the arteriovenous fistula. At final follow-up 16 months after the injuries, she showed independence in activities, reported good functional use of the hand, and worked full-time at her original occupation.