(Folia Morphol 2013; 72, 4: 306-310)

Moving car-tire injury of the foot is a condition that appears to be a new clinical entity in Istanbul, in which the non-weight-bearing surface of the foot is prone to be injured. Between 1992 and 1995, eight moving car-tire injuries of the foot were managed. Patient age averaged 10.25 years (range: 7 to 21 years). All patients presented with soft-tissue loss combined with extensor tendon and bone lesions. In 6 patients, immediate flap coverage after initial debridement and, in 2 patients, delayed coverage after multiple debridements, were performed. All the flaps survived. Although in all patients, the weight-bearing region was always intact, some had gait-pattern abnormalities due to the bone and soft-tissue injuries. Early removal of all devitalized tissues and closure of the wounds with transfer of healthy tissue have a higher rate of success, lower incidence of infection, require fewer operative procedures, and shorter hospitalizations.

Twenty-one cases of skin defects of the hand were treated with venous flaps. According to type, nine flaps were arterialised flaps (A-A), five were (A-V), and seven were (V-V) type. Venous flaps can be used up to 8 x 3 cm in size or even bigger if the number of veins anastomosed is increased. The main advantage of venous flaps is that they can also be used for simultaneous reconstruction of circulation in digits.

Amputations involving ten digits are very rare because of different lengths of the digits. A 34-year-old man working in a printing house presented one hour after guillotine amputation involving all ten digits. Surgery was initiated 80 minutes after admission and took seven hours. Under axillary anesthesia, the operation was performed by two teams each consisting of two microsurgeons and two assistants. Replantation was completed without the use of any skin graft or flap. Fingertip examination showed poor arterial circulation in the second, third, and fourth digits of the left hand after 24 hours of replantation and surgical exploration was performed, during which anastomosis of the ulnar digital artery of the second digit was re-established and a Y-shaped vein graft was placed at the level of the third web to restore revascularization of the third and fourth digits. However, these interventions did not prevent the development of necrosis in the distal segment of the fourth digit which resulted in dry gangrene that required amputation. After 38 months of replantation, radiographic examination showed complete union in all fingers without malunion or damage to the joint surface and about 8 degrees of medial angulation in the proximal phalanx of the fourth digit of the right hand. The patient did not have difficulty in performing daily activities and had a considerably good pinching. Losses of active range of motion of the metacarpophalangeal and interphalangeal joints were within the rage of 10 to 30 degrees in both hands. In the assessment of sensation, static and dynamic two-point discrimination test results were 6.1 mm and 4.0 mm, respectively.

We reviewed seven thumbs in six children at a mean of 43 months after repair of the flexor pollicis longus tendon in zone 2. Using the classification of Buck-Gramcko et al. (1976) the results were excellent in six and good in one.

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