RECONSTRUCTION OF TRAUMATIC SOFT TISSUE DEFECTS IN THE HAND

Abstract

This study included 130 patients with hand injuries, they presented for treatment in thl! Trauma Department of Assiut l)niversity Hospital in the p riod from Deceml?er 1997 t9 September 1999.

Out 9f 130 patients, 118 were males lind 12 were females, their age rangeq between one anq 67 yyars with a meqn of 23 ± 17 y ars. There were 128 right handed patients.

Hand 111JUI'Jes were more common m the right hands and workers represented the highest number of hand injuries. 124 patients had isolated hand injuries and the remaining 6 patients had hand injuries in addition to other body trauma.

More than (90%) of these patients with hand injuries were surgically treated within the first 6 hours.

• For more xtensive hand injuries, distant flaps especially groin flap was used in 7 patients to cover the hand defect with good padding.

finger and finger tip injuries represented (83.8%) of the patients with hand injuries, the middle finger had the highest incidence of trauma, it was followed by the index, ring, thumb and little fingers respectively. Skin grafts both split-and full-thickness were used to cover hand and finger defects in 51 patients with accepted results.

r Local flaps were selected to reconstruct the finger tip injuries in 27

patients while distant flaps were considered in 25 patients.