Article

Should the palmar digital artery be repaired in the pedicular section of the
finger? This repair is discussed in the case of a unilateral pedicular lesion on
a vascularised finger, and often neglected in current surgical practice. The
problem is knowing the role of a permeable artery in sensory recovery and cold
intolerance. The author presents a retrospective study on palmar digital nerve
reinnervation after section with or without palmar digital artery section. Artery
permeability was studied by doppler ultrasonography. Forty nerves in 35 patients
were studied after at least 3 years had passed. Twenty-five nerves were
associated with a permeable artery, 15 with a non permeable artery. The
functional result was evaluated with the Weber test (S2PD) and by the presence or
absence of cold intolerance. This work demonstrates the statistically significant
role of the palmar digital artery in sensitive recovery quality and cold
intolerance appearance. Its permeability ensures a better sensitive result with
an 8.84 mm S2PD versus 13.47 mm with a non permeable artery. The benefit of the
systematic repair of palmar digital artery is thus demonstrated for the first
time. This repair is all the more justified if local conditions are unfavorable,
in particular in contuse wounds with associated lesions (tendinous or bone).
CI - Copyright 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Langue : FRANCAIS