title: The role of emergency free flaps for hand trauma.
abstract: Primary closure of a wound with free flap requires minimizing the risk of infection in an effort to cover vital exposed structures. Careful patient selection, radical débridement of the wound, and an experienced microsurgical team are important for the routine application of this technique. Primary reconstruction of all injured structures is an extension of this technique that enables efficient management of severe upper extremity problems in a single setting.
authors.affiliation: Christine M. Kleinert Institute for Hand and Microsurgery, Louisville, Kentucky, USA.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: McCabe
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Breidenbach
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000673:Amputation, Traumatic / Q000601:surgery; D003646:Debridement; D004630:Emergencies; D005260:Female; D005543:Forearm Injuries / Q000601:surgery; D006230:Hand Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D014954:Wrist Injuries / Q000601:surgery