The Closure of Radial Forearm Flap Donor Site Using Local Ulnar Advancement Flap / 대한이비인후과학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The radial forearm flap is thin, pliable, and versatile, and it forms a relatively long and large vascular pedicle which facilitates the microvascular anastomosis much easier. Additionally, it can act as a sensate flap to transprt sensory innervation to the grafted site. But, there are a number of problems associated by skin graft regarding the donner site such as the delayed wound healing due to poor skin graft reception, disability of the hand and esthetically unpleasing appearance, etc. To avoid these potential problems, we used V-Y ulnar advancement flap method to close the donor defect of the radial forearm flap directly and compared this procedure with skin graft method. MATERIALS & METHOD: We reviewed retrospectively 3 cases of floor of mouth cancer and 1 case of tonsil cancer. They were 3 female patients and 1 male patient aged from 60 to 73. RESULTS: We obtained successfully results, both functionally and cosmetically, except for one who died of acute respiratory failure on the second postoperative day. CONCLUSION: This method avoids the complications of the split skin grafting for the radial flap donor site, and the donor site sequelae of the split skin graft. It can be used in the reconstruction of small defects in the oral cavity and oropharyngeal defects after tumor excision.