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J Reconstr Microsurg 1988; 4(4): 259-264
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-1006929
ORIGINAL ARTICLE

© 1988 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc.

Arterialized Venous Flap Coverage for Skin Defects of the Hand or Foot

Goro Inoue, Noboru Maeda
  • Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Division of Hand Surgery, Nagoya University School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
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Publication History

Accepted for publication 1988

Publication Date:
08 March 2008 (online)

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ABSTRACT

This is a report on 15 patients whose skin defects of the hand or foot were covered using an arterialized venous flap, with only arterial blood flowing through the vein of the flap. Success appeared to be influenced by the donor site and size of the flap. When a small-size flap from the forearm was used, the success rate was almost 100 percent; however, there was a 50 percent failure rate when a large flap from the leg was used. This technique provides not only flap coverage for exposed bone and tendon, but also provides one-stage procedures for digits in need of revascularization and skin coverage.