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The use of a V-Y advancement flap for reconstruction of a volar/lateral soft tissue defect in a digit involving segmental loss of the neurovascular bundle of up to 10 mm at middle phalangeal level is described. This flap allows immediate reconstruction with primary repair of the nerve and gives good functional results. Two cases are presented.

A primate model was developed to study the effect of submuscular versus intramuscular placement upon the development of ulnar nerve fibrosis. No significant adherence was found in either location between the ulnar nerve and the flexor-pronator muscle mass. There was no significant difference in the mean nerve fibre diameter or in the percent neural tissue between the ulnar nerves in the two different locations. It is suggested that it is the interaction of the transposed ulnar nerve with other fibrous anatomical structures proximal to, across, and distal to the elbow that causes failure in ulnar nerve transposition procedures, rather than an adverse reaction between the incised flexor-pronator muscle mass and the ulnar nerve.

The dorsal sensory branch of the ulnar nerve has been found to have the appropriate size and sufficient length for use as a digital nerve graft. This donor nerve was utilised fifteen times in twelve patients for the bridging of defects in thirteen digital nerves of the fingers. After an average follow-up of 23.2 months, only one patient failed to achieve any two point discrimination in the area supplied by the involved digital nerve. The other eleven patients had an average two point discrimination of 9.5 mm with a range of 5 to 18 mm. Painful neuroma formation or loss of hand function related to the use of the dorsal sensory branch of the ulnar nerve as a donor for digital nerve grafts was not encountered.