In replantation of amputated finger, we usually repair one digital artery in the ulnar and radial digital arteries. In selection of artery that we will repair, vessel condition is most important, but, if there is no significant difference, it is better to anastomose larger digital artery.
It has been our clinical impression that one proper digital artery is generally larger than another and there is predictable pattern as to which digital artery is larger in each of the fingers. In an effort to confirm these impressions, a radiologic and anatomic study was designed.
We measured the diameter of the both sides of the digital arteries at the level of the middle
of the proximal phalanges of the fingers on ten arteriograms and on ten preserved cadaver
hands. The results were as followings
I. The larger artery is usually on the ulnar border of the thumb, index and middle fingers and on the radial border of the ring and little fingers.
2. Especially the index and little fingers have great difference in diameter.
3. By the Hagen-Poiseuille equation, the index ulnar digital artery has a flow 2.2-4.2 times greater than the radial one and the little finger radial digital. artery has a flow 2.9-3.0 times greater than the ulnar one.
|