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Is a Vascularized Interphalangeal Unicondylar Transfer Worth the Efforts? Surgical Technique and Clinical Application

  • Surgical Technique
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Abstract

Interphalangeal joints (IPJ) play a key role in hand function for performing activities of daily living and are frequently involved in complicated injuries resulting in significant functional limitations such as secondary arthritis and stiffness being the most challenging. In adult patients with more than 5 mm bone loss of the proximal articular surface who request a functional interphalangeal joint with minimal pain a vascularized joint transfer is a treatment choice. A unicondylar loss more than 5 mm wide in a 22-year-old carpenter is reported and illustrates our experience with a vascularized unicondylar transfer showing the advantages compared to the “classic” total joint transfer or distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint arthrodesis. By using this technique at the 12-month follow-up, we achieved no donor site complications, a good graft alignment, a good joint congruity, complete bone healing and a normal vascular patency with no signs of bone malunion or resorption of the graft.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Dr.Vincet Tobe and Mrs Vick Weiss for the language assistance in preparing the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hand Surgery Unit EOC, Locarno’s Regional Hospital, Locarno, Switzerland

    Stefano Lucchina & Marco Guidi

  2. Locarno Hand Center, Locarno, Switzerland

    Stefano Lucchina

  3. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kobe Rosai Hospital, Kobe, Japan

    Takako Kanatani

  4. Department of Plastic Surgery and Hand Surgery, University Hospital Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland

    Marco Guidi

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  1. Stefano Lucchina
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  2. Takako Kanatani
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  3. Marco Guidi
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Correspondence to Stefano Lucchina.

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Stefano Lucchina, Takako Kanatani and Marco Guidi declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Lucchina, S., Kanatani, T. & Guidi, M. Is a Vascularized Interphalangeal Unicondylar Transfer Worth the Efforts? Surgical Technique and Clinical Application. JOIO 56, 1464–1468 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43465-022-00664-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s43465-022-00664-x

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