Medial upper arm skin flap: vascular anatomy and clinical applications

We present the use of a medial arm free flap with the superior ulnar collateral artery as the arterial supplier in 8 patients. The flaps succeeded in 7 cases. In addition, by cadaver dissections the vascular anatomy of this flap was reevaluated. We found that the direct cutaneous arterial branches other than the superior ulnar collateral artery could be used for vascular anastomosis, in case the latter artery is not available.