• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.457-460
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• 2010

Purpose: The great toe presents a reconstructive challenge for plastic surgeons. The big toe has much importance not only for the gait and the stability, but also for appearance aspects. Few reports have documented the reconstruction of big toe defects and we report a unique case of free flap reconstruction technique. Methods: A 41-year-old man with right great toe open fracture with soft tissue necrosis was referred from the orthopedic surgery department. On physical examination, there was the skin necrosis circumferentially and the fratured bone was severely fragmented. The metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint of the big toe was intact. After the wound debridement, we harvested the innervated anterolateral thigh flap and transposed to the defected area. After five months, we finally retouched the flap by the dorsal defatting and distal debulking. Results: He had an uneventful postoperative course without infection, dehiscence and flap necrosis. He has remained asymptomatic for eight months without any recurrence such as the osteomyelitis. Finally, he kept the normal gait and posture with weight bearing on the reconstructed great toe and foot. Conclusion: The anterolateral thigh flap is described for the reconstruction of the great toe. It involves two stage procedure with the minimal donor site morbidity and provides a good cosmetic result.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.64-67
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• 2011

Reconstruction of the distal portion of the great toe has always represented a difficult problem to surgeons. There are many methods of flap reconstruction described for foot defects, but none for tip of the great toe. We report a case of reconstruction of the great toe using a homodigital reverse pedicle island flap method. A 25-year-old man had a crushing injury at the distal phalanx of the left great toe. A homodigital reverse pedicle island flap was raised from the dorso-medial aspect of the proximal phalanx of the great toe based on the distal dorsal arcade. The flap covered the exposed distal phalanx and stump was closed without shortening. He made an uncomplicated recovery and when seen 6 months later he had a good cosmetic and functional result. A homodigital reverse pedicle island flap is described for the reconstruction of the distal part of the great toe. It involves only a single stage procedure with minimal donor site morbidity and provides a good cosmetic results.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.101-107
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• 2008

Purpose: Free flaps from the great toe are an established method for reconstruction of absent or partially amputated thumbs. However, options differ as to which technique represents the ideal solution for each level of amputation. Various methods of distal thumb reconstruction have been proposed. We prefer to transplant the entire great toe nail complex with the almost all of the pulp rather than a portion of the nail. This paper reflects our experience in using the great toe mini wrap-around flap for distal thumb reconstruction. Materials and Methods: In the period from October of 2005 to July of 2007, 9 patients were treated for traumatic thumb defects localized at the distal phalanx of the thumb. The patients included seven men and two women. The mean age was 44 years (range, 21~60) and the dominant right hand was involved in seven of nine patients. Results: The transferred flaps have survived completely in all cases. The mean range of motion in the interphalangeal joints was 51o, with 73% of the normal uninjured opposite hands. The two-point discrimination was 10.5 mm (range, 5~13 mm). In Semmes-Weinstein monofilament test, the sensibility was 4.31 in 4 cases, 3.61 in 3 cases and 2.83 in 2 cases. The pinch power was 64% (range, 55~95%) of the opposite hand. All patients were satisfied with the appearance of the reconstructed thumb and felt comfortable at final follow-up. Conclusion: We have successfully reconstructed 9 cases of traumatic distal thumb defects using the mini wrap-around free flap. The mini wrap-around free flap in great toe is an excellent alternative method for distal thumb reconstruction in selected patients.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.546-550
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• 2012

Background This study was designed to introduce the feasibility of toe tissue transfer without venous outflow for fingertip reconstruction. Methods Five cases of fingertip defects were treated successfully with this method. Four cases were traumatic fingertip defects, and one case was a hook-nail deformity. The lateral pulp of a great toe or medioinferior portion of a second toe was used as the donor site. An arterial pedicle was dissected only within the digit and anastomosis was performed within 2 cm around the defect margin. The digital nerve was repaired simultaneously. No additional dissection of the dorsal or volar pulp vein was performed in either the donor or recipient sites. Other surgical procedures were performed following conventional techniques. Postoperative venous congestion was monitored with pulp temperature, color, and degree of tissue oxygen saturation. Venous congestion was decompressed with a needle-puncture method intermittently, but did not require continuous external bleeding for salvage. Results Venous congestion was observed in all the flaps, but improved within 3 or 4 days postoperatively. The flap size was from $1.5{\times}1.5cm^2$ to $2.0{\times}3.0cm^2$. The mean surgical time was 2 hours and 20 minutes. A needle puncture was carried out every 2 hours during the first postoperative day, and then every 4 hours thereafter. The amount of blood loss during each puncture procedure was less than 0.2 mL. In the long-term follow-up, no flap atrophy was observed. Conclusions When used properly, the free toe tissue transfer without venous anastomosis method can be a treatment option for small defects on the fingertip area.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.28-35
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to present the clinical analysis of the results of lateral arm free flap for small sized and infected diabetic foot ulcer around toes. From May 2006 to December 2007, Seven patients were included in our study. Average age was 52.8 years, six were males and one was female. All had infected diabetic foot ulcer and had exposures of bone or tendon structures. Ulcers were located around great toe in four patients, 4th toe in one and 5th toe in two. Three patients had osteomyelitis of metatarsal or phalanx. After appropriate control of infection by serial wound debridement and intravenous antibiotics, lateral arm flap was applied to cover remained soft tissue defects. Posterior radial collateral artery of lateral arm flap was reanastomosed to dorsalis pedis artery of recipient foot by end to side technique in all cases in order to preserve already compromised artery of diabetic foot. All flaps were designed over lateral epicondyle to get longer pedicle and averaged pedicle length was 8 cm. Two cases were used as a sensate flap to achieve protective sensation of foot. All flaps survived and provided satisfactory coverage of soft tissue defects on diabetc foot ulcers. All patients could achieve full weight-bearing ambulation. No patients has had recurrence of infection, ulceration and further toe amputations. There were three complications, a delayed wound healing of flap with surrounding tissue, a partial peripheral loss of flap and a numbness of forearm below donor site. All patients were satisfied with their clinical results, especially preserving their toes and could return to the previous activity levels. Lateral arm free flap could be recommend for infected diabetic foot ulcers around toes, to preserve toes, coverage of soft tissue defect and control of infection with low donor site morbidity.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.57-62
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• 2019

Background Full-thickness nail bed defects with significant exposure of the distal phalanx are typically challenging to reconstruct. We describe a novel method of nail bed defect reconstruction using a thenar fascial flap combined with nail bed grafting. Methods Full-thickness nail bed defects were reconstructed in a 2-stage operation involving the placement of a thenar fascial flap and subsequent nail bed grafting. A proximally-based skin flap was designed on the thenar eminence. The flap was elevated distally to proximally, and the fascial layer covering the thenar muscle was dissected proximally to distally. The skin flap was then closed and the dissected fascial flap was turned over (proximal to distal) and inset onto the defect. The finger was immobilized for 2 weeks, and the flap was dressed with wet and ointment dressings. After 2 weeks, the flap was divided and covered with a split-thickness nail bed graft from the great toe. Subsequent nail growth was evaluated on follow-up. Results Nine patients (9 fingers) treated with the novel procedure were evaluated at follow-up examinations. Complete flap survival was noted in all cases, and all nail bed grafts took successfully. Five outcomes (55.6%) were graded as excellent, three (33.3%) as very good, and one (11.1%) as fair. No donor site morbidities of the thenar area or great toe were observed. Conclusions When used in combination with a nail bed graft, the thenar fascial flap provides an excellent means of nail bed reconstruction.