THE SUPERFICIAL BRACHIAL FLAP

A new flap raised on the inner medial upper arm to the anterior forear m surface to cover soft-tissue defects has been described. The blood s upply to this flap comes from the superficial brachial artery, The pre sence of this vessel permits safely transferring arm skin as on island or free flap. This vessel was present in 25% of our series of 64 angi ographic investigations and 10 cadaver dissections. Some earlier repor ts confirm that this vessel averaged 22.8% finding. The superficial br achial flap has been used as a pedicled or free flap to cover various defects in 8 patients and the results have been excellent. There were no complications or loss of overlying skin. Furthermore, no functional impairment or sensory disturbance occurred. Raising this flap is a re latively simple procedure, as the superficial brachial artery runs sup erficially in the subcutaneous layer.