title: Pollicization for congenital thumb aplasia using the second dorsal metacarpal artery as the vascular pedicle: case report.
abstract: The author presents the case of a child with bilateral thumb hypoplasia. Pollicization of the left index finger with grade 4 thumb hypoplasia was attempted and abandoned, apparently because of anomalous vascular anatomy. A secondary procedure identified a substantial second dorsal metacarpal artery that connected with a palmar-ulnar digital vessel at the level of the metacarpal neck. Successful pollicization was performed using the second dorsal metacarpal artery and its venae comitantes as the vascular pedicle.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hand Surgery and Peripheral Nerve Surgery, University of Sydney, Royal North Shore Hospital, St. Leonards, New South West Wales, Australia. mtonkin@surgery.usyd.edu.au
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Tonkin
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D006226:Hand Deformities / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008663:Metacarpus / Q000098:blood supply*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D011038:Rothmund-Thomson Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D013933:Thumb / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000098:blood supply / Q000601:surgery