Osteocutaneous radial forearm flap for hand reconstruction

We treated 5 patients (4 men and I woman)with bone and soft tissue defects or total thumb loss using an osteocutaneous radial forearm flap. Their ages at the time of surgery ranged from 27 to 65 years (mean, 53 years). Preoperative conditions were traumatic loss of the thumb in 3 cases and severe injuries with soft tissue and bone defects in 2. The length of the donated radius ranged from 2 to 7 cm(mean, 4.7 cm). In 4 patients the radial forearm flap was transposed, including the lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve as a sensory flap. Simultaneous iliac bone grafting to the donor site was also performed in 4 of the cases. The follow-up period ranged from 44 to 87 months (mean, 64 months). All flaps survived over their full extent. Radiographic bone union was attained after 2 to 3 months (mean, 2.5 months). Two-point discrimination over the 4 sensory flaps ranged from 8 to 15 mm (mean, 10.8 mm). No radius fractures occurred. No patients showed signs of vascular insufficiency from sacrifice of the radial artery. The radial forearm flap provides thin skin of good texture together with bone for a 1-stage reconstruction. For patients with skin and bone defects of the hand, a radial forearm osteocutaneous flap is recommended. This flap is also recommended for patients with traumatic thumb loss, if the dorsalis pedis artery is absent, or if the patient declines using tissue from the foot. Copyright (C) 1999 by the American Society for Surgery of the Hand.