American Journal of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Medicine and Surgery
Volume 28, Issue 6 , Pages 367-374 , November 2007

The forearm flap: assessment of functional and aesthetic outcomes and quality of life

  • Raphael Ciuman, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
    • Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Marienhospital Gelsenkirchen, Gelsenkirchen, Germany
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Marienhospital Gelsenkirchen, Virchowstrasse 135, 45886 Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Tel.: +49 208 5940556.
    • ,
  • Christopher Mohr, MD, DMD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Kliniken Essen-Mitte, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
    • ,
  • Knut Kröger, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Angiology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
    • ,
  • Philipp Dost, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
    • Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Marienhospital Gelsenkirchen, Gelsenkirchen, Germany

Received 8 August 2006

References 

  1. Abemayor E, Blackwell K. Reconstruction of soft tissue defects in the oral cavity and oropharynx. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2000;126:909–914
  2. Tsue TT, Desyatnikova SS, Celeyiannis FW, et al. Comparison of cost and function in reconstruction of the posterior oral cavity and oropharynx: free vs pedicled soft tissue transfer. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 1997;123:731–737
  3. Bassey EJ, Harries UJ. Normal values for hand-grip strength in 920 men and women aged over 65 years, and longitudinal changes over 4 years in 620 survivors. Clin Sci. 1993;84:331–337
  4. Cave EF, Roberts SM. A method of measuring and recording joint function. J Bone Joint Surg. 1936;18:455–466
  5. Omer GE, Spinne M. Sensibility testing. In:  Omer GE,  Spinner M editor. Management of peripheral nerve problems. Philadelphia (Pa): Saunders; 1980;p. 3–16
  6. Thissen R. Ein neues Gerät zur Prüfung der Thermosensibilität verspricht effektive Früherkennung. Rhein Ärztebl. 1986;6:251–254
  7. Windecker R, Kindermann S, Spraul M. A simple screening method for temperature sensation. Diabetol Suppl. 1997;40:1900
  8. Neugebauer E, Troidl H, Wood-Dauphine S, et al. Meran Conference on Quality-of-Life Assessment. Theor Surg. 1991/1992;6:123
  9. Bullinger M, Pöppel E. Lebensqualität in der Medizin: Schlagwort oder Forschungsansatz. Dtsch Ärztebl. 1988;85:679–680
  10. King MT. The interpretation of scores from the EORTC quality of life questionnaire QLQ-C30. Qual Life Res. 1996;5:555–567
  11. Hammerlid E, Taft C. Health-related quality of life in long-term head and neck cancer survivors: a comparison with general population norms. Br J Cancer. 2001;84(2):149–156
  12. Schwarz R, Hinz A. Reference data for the quality of life questionnaire EORTC-C30 in the general German population. Eur J Cancer. 2001;37:1345–1351
  13. Bjordal K, Ahlner-Elmqvist M, Hammerlid E, et al. A prospective study of quality of life in head and neck cancer patients: Part 2. Longitudinal data. Laryngoscope. 2001;111:1440–1452
  14. Öhrn KEO, Sjöden PO, Wahlin YB, et al. Oral health and quality of life among patients with head and neck cancer or haematological malignancies. Support Care Cancer. 2001;9:528–538
  15. Allison PJ, Locker D, Feine JS. The relationship between dental status and health-related quality of life in upper aerodigestive tract cancer patients. Oral Oncol. 1999;35:138–143
  16. Meland BN, Core GB, Hoverman VR. The radial forearm flap donor site: should we vein graft the artery? A comparative study. Plast Reconstr Surg. 1993;91:865–870
  17. Circia-Llorens G, Gomez-Cia T, Talegon-Melendez A. Analysis of flow changes in forearm arteries after raising the radial forearm flap: a prospective study using colour duplex imaging. Plast Reconstr Surg. 1999;52:440–444
  18. Heller F, Wei W, Wei FC. Chronic arterial insufficiency of the hand with fingertip necrosis 1 year after harvesting a radial forearm free flap. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2004;114(3):728–731
  19. Dost P, Rudofsky G. Doppler ultrasonography as a pre-operative aid to base the forearm flap on the radial or ulnar artery. Clin Otolaryngol. 1993;18:355–358
  20. Richardson D, Fisher SE, Vaughan ED, et al. Radial forearm flap donor-site complications and morbidity: a prospective study. Plast Reconstr Surg. 1997;99:109–115
  21. Lovie MJ, Duncan GM, Glasson DW. The ulnar artery forearm flap. Br J Plast Surg. 1984;37:486–492
  22. Toschka H, Feifel H, Erli HJ, et al. Aesthetic and functional results of harvesting radial forearm flap, especially with regard to hand function. Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2001;30:42–48
  23. Ponten B. Grafted skin observations on innervation and other qualities. Acta Chir Scand Suppl. 1960;257:1–78
  24. Chang KN, DeArmond SJ, Buncke HJ. Sensory reinnervation in microsurgical reconstruction of the heel. Plast Reconstr Surg. 1986;78:652–663
  25. Stella M, Calcagni M, Teich-Alasia S, et al. Sensory endings in skin grafts and scars after extensive burns. Burns. 1994;491–495
  26. Waris T, Reichardt L, Kyösola K. Reinnervation of human skin grafts: a histochemical study. Plast Reconstr Surg. 1983;72:439–445
  27. Bornmyr S, Arner M, Svensson H. Laser Doppler imaging of finger skin blood flow in patients after microvascular repair of the ulnar artery of the wrist. J Hand Surg. 1994;19(3):295–300
  28. Suominen S, Ahovuo J, Asko-Seljavaara S. Donor site morbidity of radial forearm flaps. Scand J Plast Reconstr Hand Surg. 1996;30:57–61
  29. Suominen S, Asko-Seljavaara S. Thermography of hands after a radial forearm flap has been raised. Scand J Plast Reconstr Hand Surg. 1996;30:307–314
  30. Koman LA, Smith BP, Smith TL. Stress testing in the evaluation of upper-extremity perfusion. Hand Clin. 1993;9:59–83
  31. Uematsu S. Thermographic imaging of cutaneous sensory segment in patients with peripheral nerve injury. Skin temperature stability between sides of the body. J Neurosurg. 1985;62:716–720
  32. Pulst ES, Haller P. Thermographic assessment of impaired sympathetic function in peripheral nerve injuries. J Neurol. 1981;226:35–38
  33. Dost P. Die Arteria ulnaris kann alternativ zur Arteria radialis in den Unterarmlappen einbezogen werden. Laryngorhinootologie. 2001;80:152–155
  34. Hammerlid E, Silander E, Hörnestam L, et al. Health-related quality of life three years after diagnosis of head and neck cancer—a longitudinal study. Head Neck. 2001;113–125
  35. Hjermstad MJ, Fayers PM, Bjordal K, et al. Using reference data on quality of life—the importance of adjusting for age and gender, exemplified by the EORTC QLQ-C30. Eur J Cancer. 1998;34(9):1381–1389
  36. Michelson H, Bolund C, Nilsson B, et al. Health-related quality of life measured by the EORTC QLQ-C30. Acta Oncol. 2000;39:477–484
  37. Fayers PM. Interpreting quality of life data: population-based reference data for the EORTC QLQ-C30. Eur J Cancer. 2001;1331–1334

PII: S0196-0709(06)00275-4

doi: 10.1016/j.amjoto.2006.10.018

American Journal of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Medicine and Surgery
Volume 28, Issue 6 , Pages 367-374 , November 2007

Article Tools

* Image Usage & Resolution