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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Indian J Plast Surg
DOI: 10.1055/s-0044-1779658
Original Article

Revisiting Elliot's Modification of Moberg's Flap and Our Improvisation

Anand Prasath Jayachandiran 
1   Department of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Saveetha Medical College & Hospital, Thandalam, Kanchipuram Dist., Tamil Nādu, India
,
Suresh Rajendran
1   Department of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Saveetha Medical College & Hospital, Thandalam, Kanchipuram Dist., Tamil Nādu, India
,
Surya Rao Much Venkata Mahipathy 
1   Department of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Saveetha Medical College & Hospital, Thandalam, Kanchipuram Dist., Tamil Nādu, India
,
Alagar Raja Durairaj
1   Department of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Saveetha Medical College & Hospital, Thandalam, Kanchipuram Dist., Tamil Nādu, India
,
Narayanamurthy Sundaramurthy
1   Department of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Saveetha Medical College & Hospital, Thandalam, Kanchipuram Dist., Tamil Nādu, India
,
Manoj Ananthappan
1   Department of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Saveetha Medical College & Hospital, Thandalam, Kanchipuram Dist., Tamil Nādu, India
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Abstract

Thumb tip injuries constitute one of the most common hand injuries. There are various reconstructive options for thumb tip injuries. We present our series of thumb tip injuries reconstructed using Elliot's modification of the Moberg flap, which provides like-for-like tissue. We also present our flap improvisation, which can be useful in the armamentarium of plastic surgeons.

Background Moberg described the advancement flap for thumb defects in 1964, which was modified by O'Brien in which the proximal part of the flap is incised and advanced. Although it is a popular flap, it has the disadvantage of interphalangeal (IP) joint flexion deformity. Among the various modifications of the Moberg flap, Elliot's flap provided more tissue with minimal donor site morbidity and no usage of skin grafts or first web skin.

Methods We retrospectively analyzed the patients who underwent reconstruction of thumb defects by Elliot's modified Moberg's flap. The size of the defect, etiology, and IP joint movement were analyzed. Two patients underwent our improvised flap where a daughter flap was elevated within Elliot's flap.

Results Between January 2021 and September 2023, 12 patients underwent reconstruction by Elliot's flap. All flaps settled well. There was no IP joint deformity. Two patients had scar hypertrophy that was managed conservatively.

Conclusion Elliot's modification of the Moberg flap is a very useful but underutilized flap for thumb tip injuries that provides like tissue with sensation and with little donor site morbidity. It can be used for thumb tip defects of up to 3 cm. It is possible to incorporate a second V-Y flap in patients for whom additional movement is required for tension-free closure.

Keywords

Elliot's flap - modified - daughter flap


Publication History

Article published online:
19 February 2024

© 2024. Association of Plastic Surgeons of India. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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