Ten free flap transfers: use of intra-arterial dye injection to outline a flap exactly.

Ten free skin flap transfers, with microvascular anastomose, were performed by our service since July 4, 1973. The donor site most frequently used for this purpose was the groin flap. In one case a free auxillary flap based on the external mammary artery was used. We discuss the advantages of using an intra-arterial injection of patent-blue dye to outline the maximal area supplied by the donor site vessels.