BRACHIORADIALIS MUSCLE FLAP - CLINICAL ANATOMY AND USE IN SOFT-TISSUERECONSTRUCTION OF THE ELBOW

A detailed gross anatomical dissection of 53 upper extremities was per formed to define the muscular and vascular anatomy of the brachioradia lis muscle and to evaluate its arc of rotation with specific examinati on of its usefulness in covering soft-tissue defects of the elbow regi on, A consistent vascular anatomy was delineated, with a major pedicle found each time near the elbow arising (in descending order of freque ncy) from the radial recurrent, radial, and brachial arteries, A varia ble number of minor pedicles were found throughout the muscle's length , Pedicled proximally, the distal muscle could cover the elbow both an teriorly and posteriorly in each case; the proximal portion of the mus cle (distally pedicled flap) could cover the anterior elbow consistent ly (100%) as well as the posterior elbow (in 91% of dissections). The muscle's am of rotation encompasses the distal half of the arm and the proximal two thirds of the forearm, with a consistent ability to cove r defects of up to 3 cm in the elbow region, Our studies confirm a con sistent and robust vascular anatomy as well as an are of rotation that allows predictable coverage of elbow defects in a one-stage procedure with minimal morbidity, no loss of upper extremity function, and no n eed to sacrifice the major vessels of the upper extremity.