title: Posterior Interosseous Artery Flap for Hand Defects.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Reconstruction of soft tissue defects in the hand need an early, single stage and well vascularised cover to achieve the best functional result. Usually a full thickness graft is required since vital structures like tendons, bones and joints are exposed and often there is need for secondary reconstruction.
  
  
  METHODS
  We managed 12 cases of complex defects over the hand in the last 2 years with the posterior interosseous artery flap.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 5 cases the defect was due to blast injury and in 4 because of crush injury. Males predominated in the ratio of 5:1. The defect was most often in the 1(st) web space and the largest flap was 11×8 cm. In all but one case the donor site was covered by split skin graft, which settled well. 2 patients had superficial flap necrosis needing debridement and skin graft.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Flap based on reverse flow in the posterior interosseous artery is a versatile and reliable source for full thickness cover of complex soft tissue defects in the hand.
authors.affiliation: DDMS, HO Bengal Area (Med), Fort William, Kolkata.
authors.forename: B B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Dogra
authors.affiliation: Senior Adv (Surg), CH(SC), Kolkata.
authors.forename: Manmohan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Classified Specialist(Surg & Reconstructive Surg), CH(SC), Pune-40.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chakravarty
authors.affiliation: Classified Specialist(Surg & Reconstructive Surg), CH(SC), Pune-40.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Basu
keywords: Posterior interosseous artery flap; Soft tissue defect of hand