The ulnar island flap in hand and forearm reconstruction.

The forearm is a convenient donor site for local flap cover in upper limb defects. Island flaps based on either of the major forearm arteries share properties suiting them for reconstruction from elbow to fingertips. The ulnar artery flap has some advantages over the radial flap, especially the easy management, low morbidity and better aesthetics of the donor site. Illustrative cases of proximally and distally based island ulnar flaps are presented.