distally based radial forearm flap in reconstruction of complex defects of the hand

ABSTRACT

The hand is exposed to various types of trauma, the majority of which involve multiple tissues which needs to be repaired in the most perfect way. The distally based radial forearm flap is one of the commonly used flaps for reconstruction of hand defects. The aim is to test the applicability and the versatility of the distally based radial forearm flap in complex soft tissue reconstruction of the hand. Nine patients were treated using distally-based radial forearm flaps. There were seven males and two females, mean age was 21 year. Reconstructed sites involved the thumb, the first web, the palm and dorsum of the hand. Neurofasciocutaneous flap was transferred in one case, adipofascial flap in one case, all the remaining flaps were fasciocutaneous island flaps. All the flaps survived completely. There were two donor sites complications, but no major functional disturbances. No patient had symptoms of cold intolerance or other ischemic changes. Distally based radial forearm flap is very useful in hand reconstruction especially when no suitable local flaps can solve the problem and it can permit further surgical procedures to be done underneath when indicated