The primary role of dorsal metacarpal artery perforator flap for hand and finger soft-tissue reconstruction

Abstract

Background: The authors present their experience about the soft-tissue reconstruction of hands and fingers with dorsal metacarpal artery (DMA) perforator flap. Materials and Methods: Patients who were treated by DMA perforator flaps from 2017 to 2019 were evaluated. Results: There were 17 patients with average age of 36 years. DMA flaps were harvested in a fasciocutaneus fashion in all patients except one. The mean flap size was 3.3 cm × 1.8 cm, and the largest flap was 5 cm × 2 cm. The donor area was repaired primarily except for one patient. The bridge skin incision was used to prevent complications caused by compression or edema. The average time for returning to work was 48 days. Conclusion: The DMA perforator flap allows repair of soft-tissue defects of the distal hand and finger neither with sacrificing any major artery nor a major donor site morbidity. Rapid learning curve and relatively stable anatomical structure are the other important entities that make the DMA perforator flap convenient.

Keywords

• dorsal metacarpal artery
• finger reconstruction
• hand reconstruction
• perforator flap
• soft tissue reconstruction