Objective To summarize the effects of medial upper arm bilobed free flaps in the repair of two skin and soft tissue defects of hand.
Methods From May 2014 to May 2016, 7 patients of two skin and soft tissue defects of hand with exposures of phalanges and tendons were treated in Xuzhou Renci Hospital, including 5 males and 2 females, aged from 19 to 41 years. Each defect area ranged from 3.0 cm×1.5 cm to 6.0 cm×3.0 cm. The medial upper arm bilobed free flaps were used to repair the defects, and the area of each lobe of the flaps ranged from 4.0 cm×2.0 cm to 8.0 cm×3.5 cm. The donor sites were sutured directly. The survival of the flaps was recorded. During follow-up, the recovery of donor and recipient sites was observed, the two-point discrimination distance of the flaps was measured, and the hand function was assessed by the trial criteria of the upper limb functional assessment of the Hand Surgery Society of the Chinese Medical Association.
Results All flaps survived smoothly, and the wounds and donor site incisions were healed. All patients were followed up, and the follow-up time lasted for 6 to 15 months. The color and texture of the flaps were similar to the surrounding normal skin, and the shape of the flaps was good. There was no obvious scar in the donor site, and the elbow joint function was normal. One patient developed ulnar numbness one month after operation and relieved after 3 months of treatment with neurotrophic drugs and local physiotherapy, etc. Six months after operation, the two-point discrimination distance of the flaps was 5.5-8.0 mm, and the hand function evaluation was excellent in 3 cases, good in 3 cases, and middle in 1 case.
Conclusions The medial upper arm bilobed free flap has both good texture and good appearance, and the scar of donor site is concealed. It is a good method to repair two skin and soft tissue defects of hand.
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