Reverse Posterior Interosseous Artery Flap for Human Bite Injury to the Hand

TL;DR

This paper presents a case where a reverse posterior interosseous artery flap was successfully used to treat a severe hand injury caused by a human bite.

Contribution

The paper introduces the use of a reverse posterior interosseous artery flap for treating severe human bite injuries on the hand.

Findings

A reverse posterior interosseous artery flap effectively repaired soft tissue defects after a human bite injury.

Delayed treatment of human bite injuries can lead to extensive tissue damage requiring flap reconstruction.

Immediate treatment is crucial to prevent infection and complications in human bite injuries.

Abstract

Bite injuries frequently occur on human hands. Human bite injuries to the hand may lead to an infection because of limited soft tissue protection and wound contamination. However, no studies have reported severe bite injuries on hands treated by flaps. We report a case of an 80-year-old woman diagnosed with a major neurocognitive disorder. The patient accidentally had a self-bite injury accompanied with an open metacarpal fracture. Debridement and fixation of the first metacarpal fracture were performed. Afterward, skin necrosis occurred gradually on the dorsum of the hand. Therefore, a reverse posterior interosseous artery (PIA) flap was used, and the postoperative course was uneventful. Given the high risk of infection, human bite injuries, particularly hand bites, should be treated immediately. Delayed treatment for such injuries may lead to extensive soft tissue defects requiring reconstruction with flaps.

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