Use of a venous flap from an amputated part for salvage of an upper extremity injury.

Abstract

The authors describe a patient in whom a large arterialized venous flap was harvested from a nonreplantable part after partial hand amputation. A 9 x 6-cm segment of dorsal hand skin was transplanted acutely in an artery-vein-vein fashion to cover exposed bone, joints, and reconstructed tendons. The flap provided durable coverage, and at 1 year the patient regained 94% total active motion at the index finger and 99% total active motion at the long finger. Salvage of component parts such as a venous flap and extensor tendons avoided additional procedures for coverage and staged tendon reconstructions.