Emergency free tissue transfer for severe upper extremity injuries

29 patients with severe upper extremity injury were treated with 27 emergency free flap and three emergency toe-to-hand transfers, after radical débridement and primary reconstruction of all injured structures. There was no flap failure, and no infections or wound-healing complication were seen. Follow-up ranged from 3 months to 6.6 years with a mean of 3.2 years. 19 patients returned to work (14 to their original jobs), three were retired and another seven had no employment before injury. Operation time ranged from 2 hours 45 minutes to 18 hours 20 minutes with an average of 7 hours 45 minutes, depending upon the size of the defect and mechanism of injury. Long-term follow-up revealed successful functional and aesthetic results, decreased morbidity and invalidity, and reduced rates of free flap failure, post-operative infection, secondary operative procedures, hospital stay and medical expense.