title: Pollicization of the Second Metacarpal Based on Dorsal Metacarpal Arteries.
abstract: Blood supply to the index finger is maintained through volar (palmar arch) and dorsal (intermetacarpal arteries) vascular networks. In traditional index finger pollicization, blood supply is maintained on the volar palmar arch. In case of index finger loss at the metacarpophalangeal joint, remaining length of the second metacarpal is often not used for pollicization because the arc of rotation is limited on digital arteries. In this report, we present a surgical technique for the transfer of the index metacarpal to the thumb on the dorsal vascular network. This method adds no further morbidity and can be used as an alternative method of thumb reconstruction in cases in which the thumb and index fingers are amputated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI. Electronic address: kozer@umich.edu.
authors.forename: Kagan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ozer
mesh_terms: D001158:Arteries / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000601:surgery*; D005383:Finger Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D005385:Fingers / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000601:surgery / Q000637:transplantation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D050279:Metacarpal Bones / Q000098:blood supply / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply*; D013933:Thumb / Q000098:blood supply / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery
keywords: Dorsal metacarpal artery; pollicization; reconstruction; thumb amputation