Late salvage of the ischemic finger after crush injury using flow-through flaps: case report.
The progressive evolution and late salvage of a posttraumatic digit with poor vascularization has not been discussed in the literature. We report the cases of 3 patients whose fingers were rescued at referral 5 to 16 days after the traumatic event by restoring the arterial inflow by means of flow-through free flaps. All 3 fingers were compromised vascularly with patchy necrosis and absence of Doppler signal distal to the injury. All were salvaged. In our experience, in the setting of a posttraumatic digit with poor vascularization, it is possible to reverse impending necrosis by late revascularization. Frank infection or mummification is considered an irreversible state and a contraindication to salvage.
del Piñal
Francisco
F
Instituto de Cirugía Plástica y de la Mano, Santander, Spain. drpinal@drpinal.com
García-Bernal
Francisco J
FJ
Cagigal
Leopoldo
L
Studer
Alexis
A
Ayala
Higinio
H
Regalado
Javier
J
D000328:Adult; D005383:Finger Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D005385:Fingers / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D009336:Necrosis; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply*