Arterialized venous flap coverage for skin defects of the hand or foot.

This is a report on 15 patients whose skin defects of the hand or foot were covered using an arterialized venous flap, with only arterial blood flowing through the vein of the flap. Success appeared to be influenced by the donor site and size of the flap. When a small-size flap from the forearm was used, the success rate was almost 100 percent; however, there was a 50 percent failure rate when a large flap from the leg was used. This technique provides not only flap coverage for exposed bone and tendon, but also provides one-stage procedures for digits in need of revascularization and skin coverage.