title: Sensory deficit in the donor hand after harvest of radial forearm free flaps.
abstract: Fifty patients undergoing radial forearm free flap reconstruction of head and neck defects were examined to find out the extent of sensory defect at the donor site. Flaps (mean length 6 cm, range 4-9) and mean width 4.7 cm (range 3.5-7) were raised. Of the 50 patients 38 (76%) were aware of some sensory loss over the radial distribution in the donor hand. There was objective evidence of a reduction in at least one sensory function in 32 of these patients (84%). The mean affected area was 44.3 cm(2) (range 6-125). The mean length of the affected area was 11.3 cm (range 4.3-12.1) and the mean width 5.1cm (range 2.1-8.4). Of the 12 patients (24%) who reported no feeling of sensory loss all modalities of sensation were preserved in 11 (92%).
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Facial Surgery, North Hampshire Hospital, Aldermaston Road, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG24 9NA, UK. c.kerawala@boltblue.com
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Kerawala
authors.forename: I C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Martin
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005542:Forearm / Q000601:surgery*; D006225:Hand / Q000294:innervation; D006801:Humans; D006987:Hypesthesia / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D020423:Median Neuropathy / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D020425:Radial Neuropathy / Q000209:etiology; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting / Q000009:adverse effects*; D020424:Ulnar Neuropathies / Q000209:etiology