Georgios Pafitanis

Background: Purple glove syndrome (PGS) is a rare condition characterized by limb edema, discoloration, and pain associated with intravenous and oral phenytoin administration. The pathophysiology is poorly understood, and there is no established treatment. Simple cases have previously been managed with hyaluronidase subcutaneous injections, with more severe cases resulting in compartment syndrome, debridement, or even amputation. Methods/Results: In this case report, a 2-year-old boy with status epilepticus developed PGS after receiving intravenous phenytoin via a cannula on the dorsum of the right hand. The patient was successfully managed by locally infiltrating subcutaneous hyaluronidase diffusely to the affected area, titrating its dose to effect, rather than aiming to adhere to any specific dosing limitation. The child was reviewed daily by the Plastic Surgery team until being discharged, and focal lesions began to demarcate after 48 hours, with epidermal loss but no deeper trauma. The epidermis peeled within one month, with healthy underlying skin found underlying when followed up in clinic. Conclusions: This case illustrates that subcutaneous administration of hyaluronidase and titrating to effect provides an effective and safe treatment for treating distal cases of early PGS in children.

Complex transmetacarpal thumb amputation remains a challenging reconstructive injury. Optimal reconstructive options aim to achieve a neo-thumb with optimal length, sensitivity, stability, and an aesthetically functional result. In cases when immediate replantation of the amputated digit is not possible, a temporary ectopic replantation with staged reconstruction can be deployed. We report our experience of a complex transmetacarpal thumb amputation managed with a staged "domino flap" concept. The first stage involved an ectopic replantation of the amputated digit with a second stage replantation 3 weeks later. Domino flap refers to the requirement of a further reconstruction due to the defect at the donor sites. In this case, the replant is accompanied by 2 domino flap reconstructions with the dorsalis pedis composite free flap to reconstruct the first metatarsal and an anterior tibial artery propeller perforator flap to reconstruct the composite flap donor site.