Historical review of skin and soft tissue coverage of the upper extremity.
This review recounts the known historical development of techniques to achieve soft tissue coverage using free skin grafts, pedicle flaps of various types, and composite tissue transfers with immediate revascularization. There is documentation of an incremental emphasis on muscle-containing pedicle flaps and free revascularized composite tissue transfers in the world literature.
D005060:Europe; D006225:Hand / Q000601:surgery*; D049668:History, 15th Century; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049690:History, Ancient; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D014180:Transplantation / Q000266:history*; D014481:United States