Published online Sep 6, 2019. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v7.i17.2562
Peer-review started: April 4, 2019
First decision: June 19, 2019
Revised: June 27, 2019
Accepted: July 20, 2019
Article in press: July 20, 2019
Published online: September 6, 2019
Processing time: 161 Days and 18.5 Hours
Injuries to multiple fingertips pose a significant treatment dilemma. Numerous reconstructive options exist, all with the ultimate goal of restoring function and sensibility to the injured fingertips.
A 24-year-old male suffered injury to multiple fingertips of the right hand, resulting in exposed distal phalanges of the middle, ring, and small fingers. The amputated distal stumps were not possible for replantation. Free flap coverage was selected in order to achieve better functional outcome. The fingertip defects were covered by performing a right second toe split tibial flap using local anesthesia at the harvest site and brachial plexus nerve block for the right upper extremity. At 6-month follow-up, all three of the reconstructed fingertips had some preserved nail growth, Semmes-Weinstein Monofilaments testing was equal to the contralateral side and the Static Two-Point Discrimination were comparable to the contralateral side.
This report provides a novel reconstructive option for the management of multiple fingertip injuries and demonstrates the utility of supermicrosurgery in management of these injuries.
Core tip: Injuries to multiple fingertips pose a significant treatment dilemma. Numerous reconstructive options exist, all with the ultimate goal of restoring function and sensibility to the injured fingertips. We present a case of a split tibial flap of the second toe utilized to treat multiple fingertip injuries, resulting in satisfactory restoration of function and sensation. This report provides a novel reconstructive option for the management of multiple fingertip injuries and demonstrates the utility of supermicrosurgery in management of these injuries.