Foot web free flaps for single-stage reconstruction of hand webs.

PURPOSE: To present a method for reconstructing the digital web in posttraumatic defects using a free tissue transfer of the web from the foot and to present the functional and aesthetic results.

METHODS

Nine web free flaps were performed; 8 were used to reconstruct posttraumatic web losses and 1 was used to reconstruct a defect resulting from to infection. All cases involved the first (3) or second (6) webs of the hand. Web flaps were taken from the foot first web (2 patients), from the second (6 cases), and from the third (1 case) in a patient with congenital syndactyly of second foot web space. The donor site was managed by skin grafting from the instep (1 case), creation of a syndactyly (7 cases), or both (1 case).

RESULTS

All flaps survived without complications. Finger abduction and flexion-extension were similar to the contralateral side. No functional limitations, pain, or contracture were reported. One donor site healed with hypertrophic scars; otherwise, no donor site complications occurred. On a visual analog scale (0-10), the patient assessed appearance of the hand and the donor foot as 9.0 and 9.0, respectively, on average. One web was not well-positioned in the first operation and required revision.

CONCLUSIONS

The foot web free flap reconstructs the hand web by replacing it with a similar functional subunit rather than attempting to recreate the complex geometry, and allows for full function and excellent appearance of the hand.

TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic IV.