title: Cephalic Vein-Pedicled Radial Forearm Semi-free Flap: An Alternative When no Suitable Vein in Recipient Site for Free Forearm Flap.
abstract: The risk of venous thrombosis is the main factor of free forearm flap necrosis. In some cases there is no suitable vein at recipient site to provide venous return of the free flap. In this report, two cephalic vein-pedicled radial forearm semi-free flaps were used as an alternative to resurface soft tissue defects in submaxilla and anterior cervical area. The two flaps survived uneventfully. The cephalic vein-pedicled radial forearm semi-free flap could be harvested with a long cephalic vein pedicle, and could be an alternative when there was no suitable or healthy recipient veins at recipient site.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450003 People's Republic of China ; Christine M. Kleinert Institute for Hand and Microsurgery, the Kleinert Kutz Hand Care Center, and the Department of Surgery, School of Medicine,University of Louisville, 225 Abraham Flexner Way, Suite 850, Louisville, KY 40202 USA.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011 People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Zhonggen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450003 People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zheng
keywords: Cephalic vein; Radial forearm flap; Reconstruction