Narrow Results

Lateral arm flaps are versatile in the use of upper extremity moderate-sized defects with little morbidity and with acceptable cosmesis. The conditions are outlined in a series of 74 lateral arm flaps performed on 72 patients and the results are given. Five patients were operated on as emergencies, 12 were operated within the first 72 hours of injury and 57 patients were treated electively. Skin defects were between 6 × 4 cm and 20 × 9 cm. Five (7%) flaps were lost due to venous thrombosis, three that sustained a high-voltage electric burn. Two other patients that were treated for a high-voltage electric burn had a successful revision of the anastomosis site in the early post-operative duration. One flap was abandoned due to very thin pedicle and obesity of the patient. A higher failure rate is encountered most frequently with the cases of high-voltage electric burn. To deal with this problem, a modified approach such as an extended approach and/or including the forearm skin to the flap is recommended during the flap harvest. For a longer pedicle to be anatomized more proximally, perforator flaps with longer pedicles may be used as an alternative.

Macrodactyly is a serious and rare disease and considered one of the most difficult pathologies to treat. There is no rule and the treatment for each patient must be tailor-made, depending on the location and degree of macrodactyly. Although amputation is a valid option for adult patients, nail preservation and reconstruction are important and has a direct impact on the treatment outcome, both aesthetically and on the patient’s self-esteem. We have used a wide, z-shaped fingertip flap associated with the preservation of a nail quadrant, bone shortening and distal interphalangeal arthrodesis. We have obtained good functional and aesthetic outcomes with this ‘quadrant flap’ technique. The technique allows decreasing digit size and volume and reconstruction of the nail complex and finger pulp.

Level of Evidence: Level V (Therapeutic)