The use of the extended materialized venous flap on the donor defect of the forearm flap

The forearm flap is frequently used to repair defects of head and neck because the skin is thin and pliable, has a long vascular stem with a wide lumen. The problem with using large forearm flap is the ensuing deformity of grafted area. On the other hand, arterialized venous flaps were well accepted in small areas but were not widely applied in large flaps because of their complicated venous systems and unreliable results. The authors were tried to extend the arterialized venous free flap, the point of this technique is loose ligation of stem vein, the result of the ligation blood flow go to collateral vessels. In this experience, the authors applied this technique to the donor defect of the forearm flap for five cases {four cases were obtained satisfactory results but one got partial necrosis and pigmentation).