[The repair of bulky tissue defect of forearm with skin flaps].

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the repairing methods of bulky tissue defect of forearm with flaps.

METHODS

Twenty-one burned patients with wounds in the forearm were enrolled in this study. The injury causes were high-voltage electricity, hot press or crush injury. After local debridement, the forearm defects were repaired with pedicled complex flaps, latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous island flaps or large thoraco-abdominal flaps immediately.

RESULTS

All the flaps survived very well with satisfactory results except for 1 patient in whom local ischemic necrosis and sub-flap infection at the distal end of the flap occurred.

CONCLUSION

Early debridement followed by skin flaps with pedicles or musculocutaneous flaps transfer could be simple, safe and reliable treatment strategies in the management of bulky tissue defects of the forearm due to burn, electric injury, or other devastating injuries.