Surgical anatomy of the dorsal face of the hand and the wrist

The anatomical knowledge of the dorsal aspect of the hand has been enriched these last years by a more surgically applied approach, especially of that of its integument and blood supply. The vascularization of the superficial nerves, the anastomoses between the dorsal and palmar arterial networks has allowed designing new flaps, ante- and retrograde, usable in the coverage of more and more distal defects. The extensor apparatus shows many anatomic variations, often asymptomatic, except the extensor digitorum brevis manus muscle, which can mimic a mass at the dorsal aspect of the hand.