Reconstruction of the thumb by microvascular transfer of the great toe. A case report.

TRAUMATIC amputation of the thumb is a particularly severe hand injury, because of the unique functional role of the thumb, and several methods exist for reconstruction of the thumb, all of which have disadvantages. Microvascular technique allows the transfer of a block of tissue from one site to another, by anastomosis of vessels with a known vascular territory to the vessels in the recipient area. Reconstruction of the thumb by microvascular transfer of the great toe was first described by Cobbett in 1969 and an improved technique was described by O'Brien in 1975. The purpose of this paper is to report the first such case carried out in Northern Ireland.