Sunaga Ataru, Sarukawa Shunji, Miyazaki Kunio, Uda Hirokazu, Sugawara Yasushi
Department of Plastic Surgery, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi, Japan.
Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. 2013 Sep 10;1(5):e36. doi: 10.1097/GOX.0b013e3182a6ead8. eCollection 2013 Aug.
Reconstruction of soft-tissue defects on multiple fingers is challenging because the number of recipient vessels for free flaps is limited. We report the use of a free radial forearm flap with multiple perforator-based skin islands for the reconstruction of complex soft-tissue defects involving multiple fingers. The injuries were caused by a heat press. The flap was transferred, like "bunting," to the injured hand with an exteriorized pedicle. The technique presented here is advantageous because it simultaneously covers multiple defects and allows immediate hand therapy after the operation.