The Radial Artery Pedicle Perforator Flap: Vascular Analysis and Clinical Implications

Abstract

There are two main clusters of clinically significant radial artery perforators. Increased knowledge of size, location, and cutaneous territory of the radial artery perforators can lead to expanded use of the radial artery forearmflap based on cutaneous perforators alone, without sacrificing the radial artery.

Reverse Radial Artery Flap Perforator Anatomy and Clinical Applications

“…These results demonstrate that there are many small, short perforators supplying the skin where the distal skin paddle extension is planned according to this suggested modification. Consistent with a recent vascular analysis performed by Saint-Cyr et al, 25 in 100% of specimens, at least one perforating vessel supplied the cutaneous territory where the distal "dart extension" would be planned. The limited number of cadaver arms included in the analysis is a potential source of error in this study.…”

Clinical Applications of Perforator-Based Propeller Flaps in Upper Limb Soft Tissue Reconstruction

“…7 A perforator-based propeller flap can be designed on any perforator, and a number of articles present the usefulness of individual perforator-based flaps for upper limb reconstruction. 18,19,30,[35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48] The elbow, wrist, and hand represent the 3 areas in the upper limb that usually require flap reconstruction. The perforator flaps available for elbow reconstruction include 5 flaps: (1) inferior ulnar collateral artery perforator flap (IUCAP), 6,37,38 (2) SUCAP, 6,39,40 (3) BAP, 6,49,50 (4) RRAP, 6,51-53 and (5) RCAP.…”

The Adipofascial Radial Artery Perforator Flap: A Versatile Reconstructive Option in Upper Limb Surgery

“…[23][24][25] Thus the interest in vascularised, pedicled and free flaps grew and the vascularised grafts were shown to have an edge over the non-vascularised grafts. 26) The adipofascial perforator flap is simple to elevate with low donor morbidity, 27) may be raised in sufficient length to resurface the median nerve in the distal forearm and hand, is thin and pliable to wrap around the median nerve, provides a vascularised bed to replace scar and provides a gliding membrane to improve nerve mobility. In selected cases of recurrent median entrapment, the senior author undertakes revision surgery under regional anaesthesia and proceeds to flap coverage when the scar formation is extensive.…”