RESUMO
Background: We encountered a case of infected soft tissue defect of the fingertip treated using negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT). The development of NPWT was started in the early 1990s, and it is a relatively new treatment method included in insurance coverage in Japan in 2010. NPWT is used for intractable wounds; some reports have examined its use on infected wounds. However, to the best of our knowledge, no study has examined its use on infected fingertip wounds. Methods: A patient with an infected soft tissue defect in the fingertip whose epithelialization period was prolonged despite continued antibiotic therapy was treated using NPWT in combination. Results: After NPWT was started, signs of infection and wound granulation were good. Additionally, completion of epithelialization was confirmed 7 weeks after NPWT started. Conclusions: Conventionally, skin flap or graft by hand surgeons have been performed on fingertip soft tissue defects with infection. NPWT does not require specialized and advanced surgical techniques; treatment for infected soft tissue defects can be administered by anyone if they have the required skills. In conclusion, NPWT may be considered a suitable alternative when treatment options such as flaps and skin grafts are not feasible.
RESUMO
CASE: This report describes a 25-year-old female professional triathlete with right external iliac artery endofibrosis (EIAE) that was definitively diagnosed on contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance images obtained immediately after treadmill running. The EIAE was treated by percutaneous transluminal angioplasty. By 8 weeks after surgery, she had no symptoms of claudication or pain in the right thigh after a 1-hour running session. There has been no recurrence in 1 year postoperatively. CONCLUSION: EIAE is a rare condition and difficult to diagnose in a timely manner because symptoms and radiographic imaging features appear only during intense exercise. Our patient was successfully treated with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty.