Sharing the radial forearm flap in reconstruction of two separate defects in the same patient

The radial forearm flap is used extensively to cover defects for which a thin skin flap is needed. It can be used either as a pedicle or a free flap in various designs. In this case report, a new application of this flap is presented in which two flaps were created out of a single radial forearm flap to cover two separate defects. One of the flaps was a distally based reverse island flap. We used this flap to cover a defect developed by releasing a burn contracture on the flexor surface of the thumb. The other flap consisted of the proximal portion of the forearm flap and was transferred to the neck region as a free flap to cover a defect resulting from the release of a burn contracture. The radial artery allows sharing the fasciocutaneous unit of the forearm into two different flaps and transferring them to separate areas. Thus, donor site morbidity is reduced when there is more than one defect to be reconstructed.