Closure of radial forearm free flap donor-site defect with proportional local full-thickness skin graft: case series study of a new design

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to describe a simple, convenient, and reliable new technique using local full-thickness skin graft (FTSG) for skin coverage of a donor-site defect of the radial forearm free flap (RFFF). Patients and Methods Between April 2016 and April 2021, five patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma underwent mass resection combined with RFFF reconstruction. After RFFF harvesting, donor-site defects were restored by proportional local FTSG. RESULTS: The donor-site defects ranged in size from 24 to 41.25 cm2, with a mean of 33.05 cm2. Good or acceptable esthetic outcomes were obtained in all five patients. There was no dehiscence, skin necrosis, wound infection, or severe scarring at the graft site through the end of the postoperative follow-up period, and no patient had any specific functional complaint. CONCLUSION: The proportional local FTSG showed promising results for skin coverage of the donor-site defect of the RFFF. This technique could decrease the need for skin grafts from other sites.