SIMULTANEOUS SOFT-TISSUE RECONSTRUCTION AND REVASCULARIZATION OF THE THUMB WITH A FLOW-THROUGH DISTALLY-PEDICLED RADIAL FOREARM FLAP

The authors report the application of the flow-through concept to a di stally-pedicled radial forearm flap for simultaneous thumb revasculari zation and soft-tissue coverage. A distally-pedicled radial forearm fl ap was used to cover a skin defect at the base of thumb and thenar are a. The flap artery (reversed radial artery) was anastomosed to the dis tal ends of the defective digital arteries. The flap survived complete ly, and the thumb was well-vascularized.