LOCAL FLAPS AND SPLIT;

Background: Two point discrimination (TPD).is the minimum distance between two stimulus points on the skin, which areperceived as distinct points, Among the two types of TPD i.e., static and dynamic, static two-point discrimination (STPD) is commonly used todetermine digital nerve integrity. Local flaps usually do well in maintaining sensibility of the covered area in terms of two point discrimination incontrast to s-plit thickness skin grafts (STSG). Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of sensory deficit in termsof TPD in STSG and local flaps for soft tissue defects of fingers after three months. Study design: It was a Quasi experimental study. Settings:Patients admitted in the indoor of Plastic surgery department, Services Hospital Lahore. Period: February 2009 to January 2010. Material andMethods: Thirty five patients underwent local flap coverage and other thirty five underwent split thickness skin grafting for soft tissue defects offingers depending upon nature of defect. Patients were followed up at 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks. Results: The sensory deficit observed at the end of12th week post operatively was in 8.6% of the patients with local flap coverage (3 patients) and 45.7% of those with STSG (16 patients).Patients with no sensory deficit were 91.4% (32 patients) in the local flap coverage and 54.3% (19 patients) in the STSG at 12th week of followup. The relative ratio of sensory deficit in local flaps and STSG was 5 (>2). Conclusions: The results of this study show that Local flaps arebetter options in terms of TPD preservation as opposed to STSG for soft tissue defects of fingers.