A compound radial artery forearm flap in hand surgery: an original modification of the Chinese forearm flap

The Chinese forearm flap based on the radial artery is extremely versatile. It can be used as an island-skin flap, a free flap or as a compound forearm flap including vascularised nerve, bone or tendons. This paper describes and discusses some of these applications and is based on a series of 17 patients who presented with problems of reconstruction in the hand.