Cephalic Vein-Pedicled Radial Forearm Semi-free Flap: An Alternative When no Suitable Vein in Recipient Site for Free Forearm Flap.

The risk of venous thrombosis is the main factor of free forearm flap necrosis. In some cases there is no suitable vein at recipient site to provide venous return of the free flap. In this report, two cephalic vein-pedicled radial forearm semi-free flaps were used as an alternative to resurface soft tissue defects in submaxilla and anterior cervical area. The two flaps survived uneventfully. The cephalic vein-pedicled radial forearm semi-free flap could be harvested with a long cephalic vein pedicle, and could be an alternative when there was no suitable or healthy recipient veins at recipient site.