A safe, reliable method for skin-graft coverage of the radial forearm donor site

Delayed donor-site healing remains one of the most significant disadvantages of the radial forearm free flap. In an effort to decrease morbidity at the donor site, the authors adopted a closure technique that utilized the flexor digitorum sublimis (FDS) and flexor pollicis longus (FPL) muscle bellie...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of reconstructive microsurgery Vol. 13; no. 7; p. 471
Main Authors Swift, R W, Wheatley, M J, Meltzer, T R
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.10.1997
Subjects
Aged
Female
Forearm - surgery
Humans
Male
Postoperative Complications
Skin Transplantation
Surgical Flaps
Surgical Procedures, Operative - methods
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Summary:Delayed donor-site healing remains one of the most significant disadvantages of the radial forearm free flap. In an effort to decrease morbidity at the donor site, the authors adopted a closure technique that utilized the flexor digitorum sublimis (FDS) and flexor pollicis longus (FPL) muscle bellies to cover the flexor carpi radialis (FCR) tendon prior to placement of a split-thickness skin graft. While this approach eliminated tendon exposure, two patients with postoperative median-nerve compression forced a modification of this technique. The authors now detach the radial attachment of the FDS muscle and mobilize the median nerve away from the underside of the muscle, to prevent kinking of the nerve when the FDS and FPL muscle bellies are sewn together. With these modifications, the technique retains its efficacy, but with an improved margin of safety for the median nerve.
ISSN:0743-684X
1098-8947
DOI:10.1055/s-2007-1006427