Reconstruction of hand and wrist soft-tissue defects using radial artery perforator flap

Abstract

Aim: Soft-tissue defects in the hand and wrist are frequently encountered injuries that may occur due to trauma, burns, or other causes. We aimed to report our experiences in reconstruction of these defects using a radial artery perforator flap (RAPF). Materials and Methods: Eight patients who underwent surgery for reconstruction of the hand and wrist soft-tissue defects at our institution between December 2017 and December 2019 were included in the study. The patients were evaluated in terms of age, sex, etiology, flap size, defect region, and postoperative complications. Results: All defects were reconstructed by utilizing RAPF. The most common etiology of the defects was work-related accidents. The mean age of the patients was 40.4 (10–69) years. The mean flap size was 63.5 ± 14.76 cm2. Six patients healed uneventfully, while we observed partial necrosis of the RAPF flap in one of the cases and a marginal epidermolysis in another. The donor sites were skin grafted in each patient. The patient where partial necrosis observed was re-operated for debridement and skin grafting subsequentially. The duration of follow-up of the patients was 6 months. Conclusions: Radial forearm perforator flap is a reliable and effective reconstructive option to reconstruct small to moderately sized defects of the hand and wrist.

Keywords

• hand defects
• perforator flap
• upper extremity