Radial forearm flap for reconstruction of total and sub-total nose defects

The article is devoted to the main aspects of the use of a free radial forearm flap in the reconstruction of the external nose. In the case of total and subtotal defects of the external nose, the volume of local and regional flaps may not be enough. In addition, local tissues that have been subjected to radiation therapy, in the case of malignant neoplasms of the nose, are an unsuitable plastic material, since their blood supply is disrupted and the elasticity of the skin is reduced. In these situations, the three major components of the nose-the mucosa, the supporting framework, and the outer skin-may require reconstruction using tissue harvested from distant sites using microvascular free flaps. The radial forearm flap is quite thin (allows you to reconstruct the delicate skin of the nose), plastic (allows you to correct the shape of the nose and, if necessary, form a free autograft), relatively easy to harvest (has a constant vascular anatomy), and is also well vascularized, which makes it the flap of choice for transplantation to a previously compromised recipient bed.