Dealing with aberrant vessels in radial forearm flaps - report of a case and review of literature.
BACKGROUND
Anomalies of the radial artery are uncommon. A brief tabulated review of the literature is presented.


METHODS
We report a rare anomaly of the forearm vascular anatomy we encountered when elevating a radial forearm free flap. This is a previously unreported anatomical variation. The radial artery divided into medial and lateral branches (accompanied by their respective venae commitantes) about 1.5 cm below the bifurcation of the brachial artery. The skin paddle was predominantly supplied by the aberrant medial branch and was raised on this branch along with its venae commitantes up to the point of division.


CONCLUSIONS
This case highlights the need for vigilance when raising free flaps and the techniques employed to avoid compromising both limb and skin paddle perfusion.
Bhatt
Vyomesh
V
Department of New Cross Hospital, Wolverhampton WV10 0QP, UK. vyomeshb@yahoo.com
Green
Jason
J
Grew
Nicholas
N
D000328:Adult; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000601:surgery; D000071938:Fasciotomy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009060:Mouth Floor / Q000601:surgery*; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D017534:Radial Artery / Q000002:abnormalities*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply*