NEW ISLAND FLAP TRANSFER FROM THE DORSUM OF THE INDEX TO THE THUMB

We describe here a new island flap from the dorsum of the index finger, transferred on the first dorsal metacarpal artery with one or two veins and the terminal branches of the radial nerve. This vascular bundle is a reliable one, The arterial vascularization without any skin pedicle makes this “kite” flap a more practical one than the “flag” flaps of Vilain 41,45 or Hole-vitch 13 or Kuhn.21 Finally, a one-stage transfer is usually preferable to a two-stage one (e.g. Adamson,1 Braillar 3). In a single operation, this transfer provides composite resurfacing of the thumb while bringing in new blood and nerve supply. © 1979 American Society of Plastic Surgeons.