Effect of transverse wrist crease perforator flap on repairing soft tissue defect of fingers and its influence on hand function

Yefeng Lu; Rongrong Shen; Junhui Zhou; Jiliang Li; Yinwei Huang

Effect of transverse wrist crease perforator flap on repairing soft tissue defect of fingers and its influence on hand function

Am J Transl Res. 2022 Oct 15;14(10):7156-7163. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Yefeng Lu¹, Rongrong Shen², Junhui Zhou¹, Jiliang Li³, Yinwei Huang¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Hand and Foot Microsurgery, Yuyao People's Hospital of Zhejiang Province Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, China.
² Department of Anesthesia, Yuyao People's Hospital of Zhejiang Province Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, China.
³ Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, Hua Mei Hospital, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, China.

PMID: 36398232
PMCID: PMC9641474

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the effect of transverse wrist crease perforator flap repair on sensory nerve function, survival of flap, hand function, hand appearance and satisfaction rate in patients with soft tissue defect of fingers.

Methods: This retrospective study was performed in 30 patients admitted to the Hand and Foot Microsurgery Department of our hospital between January 2018 and December 2020. These patients were divided into to the control group and the experimental group (15 patients for each group) according to the operative methods. Patients in the control group underwent abdominal flap repair, while patients in the experimental group received transverse wrist crease perforator flap repair. Intraoperative parameters, sensory nerve function, function of finger reconstruction, survival rate of skin flap, degree of scar contracture and flap bloatedness, DASH score, two-point discrimination and satisfaction rate were compared between the two groups.

Results: Compared with the control group, the operative time in the experiment group was obviously decreased (P<0.05). There was no difference in amount of bleeding between the two groups. The proportion of sensory nerve function grade S3+ and S4 in the experimental group was significantly increased in contrast to the control group (P<0.05). The total excellent and good rate in function of finger reconstruction in the experiment group was significantly higher than that in the control group, while no difference was found in the survival rate of skin flap and scar contracture between the two groups. Compared with the control group, DASH score, two-point discrimination distance, and degree of flap bloatedness in the experiment group were significantly reduced and the patients' satisfaction rate in the experiment group was remarkably increased (all P<0.05).

Conclusion: Transverse wrist crease perforator flap repair plays a critical role in reducing operative time, improving sensory nerve function and recovery of hand function, and alleviating flap bloatedness. It is an optimal treatment for soft tissues defect of fingers.

Keywords: Therapeutic effect; fingers; soft tissues defect; transverse wrist crease perforator flap.