The skin defects or sensory impairment of the fingers, especially at the critical area for prehension(tip of thumb, index and middle fmgers)should be reconstructed for the better function of thand. In our department, we performed neurovascular island pedicle flap transfer for the reconstruction of sensibility and skin defect simultaneously to the critical area.
1) Since Jan. 1986 to Jun. 1989, we have performed neurovascular island pedicle flap transfer in 22 cases among which 6 cases were followed for more than one year.
2) The operation was performed for the reconstruction of the thumb in 10 cases, index in 6 cases, ring in one case and lithe in 5 cases. The common cause of injury was crushing by oressor(11 cases)
3) The island flap was transferred from the middle finger(20 cases), index finger(one case) and ring finger(one case).
4) Recovery of the protective sensation at the recipient sites was good or fair after one year,
but reorientation and two points discrimination were poor
5) Cold intolerance was developed in 2 cases and callosity was formed in one case. 6) In all cases, the transferred flap were good in circulation status and durability
7) It is considered that the neurovascular island pedicle flap is an accepted method of restoring skin coverage as well as sensation to a localized tactile area in the hand.
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