title: Use of a venous flap from an amputated part for salvage of an upper extremity injury.
abstract: The authors describe a patient in whom a large arterialized venous flap was harvested from a nonreplantable part after partial hand amputation. A 9 x 6-cm segment of dorsal hand skin was transplanted acutely in an artery-vein-vein fashion to cover exposed bone, joints, and reconstructed tendons. The flap provided durable coverage, and at 1 year the patient regained 94% total active motion at the index finger and 99% total active motion at the long finger. Salvage of component parts such as a venous flap and extensor tendons avoided additional procedures for coverage and staged tendon reconstructions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microsurgical Transplantation and Replantation, California Pacific Medical Center, San Francisco, USA.
authors.forename: Darrell
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Brooks
authors.forename: Rudolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Buntic
authors.forename: Harry J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Buncke
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000673:Amputation, Traumatic / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery*; D001132:Arm / Q000601:surgery; D006230:Hand Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery*; D018737:Hand Strength; D006801:Humans; D023821:Limb Salvage / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D012092:Replantation / Q000379:methods*; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply*; D013710:Tendons / Q000637:transplantation; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery