The pedicled arterialized venous flap.

The arterialized venous flap, in which arterial blood flowing through a vein returns to the venous system through the pedicle, was devised to solve the problems of increasing flap size and raising the overall success rate. This flap can obtain satisfactory blood inflow and pressure. The flap was clinically applied to reconstruct skin defects in three cases, with two complete successes and one partial superficial necrosis. This technique provides a flap to cover a relatively large defect, with no shunt formation, and a high success rate.