Reconstruction of Hand Using Peroneal Perforator Free Flap in High-Voltage Electrical Burn Patients.

Kim, Dong Hoon; Yoo, Jung Seok; Lim, Jun Kyu; Lee, Dong Lark

Original Article

Journal of the Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons 2008;35(1):66-71.
Published online January 1, 2008.

Reconstruction of Hand Using Peroneal Perforator Free Flap in High-Voltage Electrical Burn Patients.

Dong Hoon Kim, Jung Seok Yoo, Jun Kyu Lim, Dong Lark Lee

Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Hanil General Hospital, Seoul, Korea. kwangps@ naver.com

Abstract

PURPOSE
The hand is frequently affected area in high voltage electrical burn injury as an input or output sites. Electrical burn affecting the hand may produce full thickness necrosis of the skin and damage deep structures beneath the eschar, affecting the tendon, nerve, vessel, even bone which result in serious dysfunction of the hand. As promising methods for the reconstruction of the hand defects in electrical burn patients, we have used the peroneal perforator free flaps. METHODS: From March 2005 to June 2006, we applied peroneal perforator free flap to five patients with high tension electrical burn in the hand. Vascular pedicle ranged from 4cm to 5cm and flap size was from 4x2.5cm to 7x4cm. Donor site was closed primarily.
RESULTS
All flaps survived completely. There was no need to sacrifice any main artery in the lower leg, and there was minimal morbidity at donor site. During the follow-ups, we got satisfactory results both in hand function and in aesthetic aspects.
CONCLUSION
The peroneal perforator flap is a very thin, pliable flap with minimal donor site morbidity and is suitable for the reconstruction of small and medium sized wound defect, especially hand with electrical burn injury.

Keywords: Surgical flaps; Electrical injuries; Hand