title: [An appropriate alternative for the reconstruction of soft tissue defects in the hand and the wrist: the distally-based island posterior interosseous flap].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated the use of a distally-based island posterior interosseous flap in patients with soft tissue defects of the hand and the wrist.
  
  
  METHODS
  The distally-based island posterior interosseous flap was used to cover soft tissue defects in eight patients (1 female, 7 males; mean age 30 years; range 9 to 51 years). Of these, six patients had crush injuries, and two patients had wrist flexion contracture due to high-voltage burns. The defects were in the volar aspect of the wrist in two patients, in the dorsum of the thumb metacarpal in two patients, and in the dorsum of the metacarpals in four patients. The mean follow-up period was 3 months (range 2 to 7 months).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results were satisfactory in all but one patient. Flap necrosis developed in one patient with crush injury of the hand and blunt injury of the forearm. Venous congestion of the flap was encountered in four patients, but none resulted in flap necrosis during the follow-up period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The distally-based island posterior interosseous flap may be easily and safely employed in the coverage of soft tissue defects of the hand and the wrist due to such advantages as minimal donor area morbidity, an acceptable cosmetic appearance, and a more simple dissection than required for other surgical flaps.
authors.affiliation: Ege Universitesi Tip Fakültesi Ortopedi ve Tramatoloji Anabilim Dali, El Cerrahisi Bilim Dali, Izmir, Turkey. oguz@med.ege.edu.tr
authors.forename: Oğuz
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ozdemir
authors.forename: Erhan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Coşkunol
authors.forename: Serifhan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alpaydin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005542:Forearm / Q000098:blood supply; D006230:Hand Injuries / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures; D017695:Soft Tissue Injuries / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014954:Wrist Injuries / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*