Suprafascial dissection of the radial forearm flap and donor site morbidity.
A cutaneous free radial forearm flap was harvested from 25 patients using a suprafascial dissection technique. The donor site was managed with either a full or split thickness skin graft and a negative pressure wound dressing. The incidence of initial complete graft take was 96% at day 5 and 100% by 1 month. There was 100% early and complete graft take in the full thickness group but one area of partial loss in the split thickness group. This area of graft loss represented less than 0.5% of the total grafted area in this series. The mean time to wound healing was 14 days. There were no cases of tendon exposure or delayed healing. The suprafascial dissection creates a superior graft recipient bed. When combined with the negative pressure wound dressing technique it ensured early and complete graft take.
Avery
C M
CM
Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, The Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead, UK.
Pereira
J
J
Brown
A E
AE
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001458:Bandages; D004210:Dissection; D005205:Fascia / Q000098:blood supply / Q000637:transplantation*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005542:Forearm / Q000601:surgery*; D006085:Graft Survival; D006225:Hand / Q000503:physiopathology; D018737:Hand Strength / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011312:Pressure; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017534:Radial Artery; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000098:blood supply; D014945:Wound Healing; D014955:Wrist Joint / Q000503:physiopathology