The vascular anatomy and clinical application about thenar reverse island flap

Objective To explore the vascular microanatomy foundation research of the retrograde island pedicle thenar flap ;to introduce the clinical effects of the thumb palmar radial artery pedicle flaps transferred to repair soft tissue defects of thumbs.Methods To dissect the microanatomy of the 24specimens of fresh waste hand:All the cases were perfused with red latex,to study the origins,courses,brabches and anastomosis of the blood vessels of the skin of thenar under operation microscope.The 18patients were selected with distal thumb soft tissue defects repairing the defects by the thumb palmar radial artery pedicle flaps on the vascular microanatomy foundation research of the retrograde island pedicle thenar flap.Results The thumb palmar radial arteries were constant present in 24specimens of fresh waste hand.18patients with distal thumb soft tissue defects.all survived.The blood supply,texture,and elasticity of the flaps were good,the fuction of thumb to palm and to fingers was normal,the felling of all the flaps reach S3～S4.Conclusion It is simple for the operation to repair the soft tissue defects of thumbs with the retrograde island pedicle thenar flaps,and the blood supply of the flaps is reliab,obtaining satisfactory function and appearance after the repair using the finger nerve and the cutaneous nerve by microsurgery kiss,then feel good functional recovery showed.