[Surgical therapy for hand infections Part 2].

Due to its function, anatomy, and exposition to multiple pathogens, the hand is highly susceptible to infection. Most of these infections are post-traumatic. Isolates of pathogens from infected hands contain mainly Staphylococcus aureus and ss-haemolytic group A streptococci. But differential diagnosis also includes pyoderma gangrenosum, tumors of the hand, rheumatoid arthritis, and articular gout, as they may mimic hand infections. Infections of the hand can lead to massive tissue damage that needs to be reconstructed. The selection of methods depends on the localization and size of defects and includes primary closure, split- and full-thickness skin grafts, and more complex operations such as local, regional, and distant flaps.