Hand coverage using venous island flaps

A Review and Meta-analysis of Adverse Events Related to Local Flap Reconstruction for Digital Soft Tissue Defects

We reviewed the current literature to estimate incidence rates for adverse events with pedicled flaps in the hand. We identified 241 different studies reporting adverse events for 6693 flaps. The average incidence rate was 5.4% and total or partial loss of flap constituted 65% of all reported complications. Flaps with reverse or perforator-based flow may be more prone to vascular complications compared with flaps with antegrade flow or skin pedicle. The incidence rates were acceptable in all flaps (1%-10%) and thus the flap can be chosen primarily based on considerations other than risk of adverse events.

Cell therapy for wound healing

In covering wounds, efforts should include utilization of the safest and least invasive methods with goals of achieving optimal functional and cosmetic outcome. The recent development of advanced wound healing technology has triggered the use of cells to improve wound healing conditions. The purpose of this review is to provide information on clinically available cell-based treatment options for healing of acute and chronic wounds. Compared with a variety of conventional methods, such as skin grafts and local flaps, the cell therapy technique is simple, less time-consuming, and reduces the surgical burden for patients in the repair of acute wounds. Cell therapy has also been developed for chronic wound healing. By transplanting cells with an excellent wound healing capacity profile to chronic wounds, in which wound healing cannot be achieved successfully, attempts are made to convert the wound bed into the environment where maximum wound healing can be achieved. Fibroblasts, keratinocytes, adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction cells, bone marrow stem cells, and platelets have been used for wound healing in clinical practice. Some formulations are commercially available. To establish the cell therapy as a standard treatment, however, further research is needed.