Two Perforators Improve the Extent and Reliability of Paraumbilical Flaps for Upper Limb Reconstruction

Complex defects of the forearm and arm are best reconstructed with free flaps. Free flaps are however not universally available. They require long operative time and may be contraindicated in patients with extensive injuries due to a lack of good recipient vessels. The alternatives to free flaps are distant flaps such as groin flaps, random abdominal flaps, thoracoepigastric flaps and paraumbilical perforator flaps. These are axial flaps that are limited by the angiosomes supplied by a given perforator or blood vessel. To improve the extent and reliabilities of the paraumbilical flaps, we incorporated two perforators in the flap.

A total of 17 patients with extensive forearm defects were managed by two vessel paraumbilical perforator flaps between January 2013 and December 2018. The perforators were identified by a hand-held Doppler and the flap was fashioned with the perforators at the base.

The mean length of the flap raised was 19.5 cm and width was 8.3 cm. The median age was 39 years. All the flaps were successful with no incidence of flap necrosis and no dehiscence.

Two vessel perforator flaps improved the reliability of the paraumbilical perforator flap, allowing for a bigger flap to be harvested and thus ensuring a cover of larger defects. The flaps were easy to raise and were easily tolerated by the patients.