Arterialized venous free flap for reconstruction of burned face.

In this study, a forearm arterialized venous free flap (23 cm x 14 cm) was used in a 25-year-old male with facial burns sequels to reconstruct both cheeks, chin, lips, nose, columnella, nasal tip, and nostrils. It was arterialized by the facial artery to an afferent vein anastomosis. The venous flow was drained by four efferent vein to vein anastomoses. Although it developed small inferior marginal necrosis in the lower lip, the rest of the flap survived with good quality of the skin in both texture and color, with self-delimitation of the different esthetics units of the center of the face such as the nasogenian folds, nostrils, and upper lip filtrum, without the need of additional thinning surgical procedures. From all of the above, the arterialized venous free flap is an alternative reconstructive option for the treatment of burn sequels especially those that include the centrofacial region. (c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.