Reconstruction of the Fourth Metacarpal Using a Chimeric Medial Femoral Condyle Vascularized Osteochondral Cutaneous Graft: Case Report

• Published in: Annals of plastic surgery Vol. 89; no. 2; pp. e1 - e4
• Main Authors: S. R. G. Jorge, Ana Cristina, Estler, Arne, Wahler, Theodora, Grözinger, Gerd, Stahl, Stéphane
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 01-08-2022
• ISSN: 0148-7043; 1536-3708
• DOI: 10.1097/SAP.0000000000003181

The medial femoral condyle has become a matter of great interest, thanks to the possibility of harvesting versatile chimeric flaps for reconstruction of metacarpal defects with minimal donor site morbidity. This case stands out because of the complete reconstruction of the metacarpal head, harvesting with a skin paddle for tension-free closure and monitoring, and the use of external fixation for better predictability of the reconstruction and early postoperative mobilization.
We report the case of a 20-year-old male patient who presented with an aneurysmal bone cyst involving the fourth metacarpal bone. The patient underwent resection en bloc of the metaphysis and distal epiphysis of the fourth metacarpal bone, and the bone defect was reconstructed using a 3.4-cm vascularized osteochondral cutaneous graft from the medial femoral condyle.
At 1-year follow-up, the patient showed no impairment in hand range of motion and had a Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand score inferior to that of the male healthy population. Almost 5 years after the procedure, the radiographic examination did not reveal signs of arthrosis. This case report shows that the medial femoral condyle is an excellent and versatile source of vascularized osteochondral grafts for reconstruction of metacarpal defects.