Comparing Skin Graft and Local Flap Techniques for Closing Radial Forearm Donor Sites After Head and Neck Reconstruction

What this Trial Is About

The radial forearm free flap RFFF is commonly used for reconstructing head and neck areas, especially the oropharynx and oral cavity, due to its favorable features like thinness and good blood supply. This research compares two common methods for closing the donor site on the forearm after RFFF surgery the split-thickness skin graft STSG taken from the thigh and the hatchet flap, a local flap technique using nearby forearm tissue. The study aims to determine which method results in better aesthetic and functional outcomes and fewer complications. Participants undergo surgery where the forearm donor site is closed using either the STSG or the hatchet flap. For the STSG group, a thin skin graft from the thigh is sutured onto the forearm and covered with a dressing and splint for five days. For the hatchet flap group, a local triangular flap is rotated to close the donor site, with wrist flexion to reduce tension and a dressing applied for two days. Photographs of the donor site are taken after dressing removal and during two follow-up visits. During the study, patients complete questionnaires about hand function, scar appearance, and decision regret at both one month and between three to six months after surgery. Researchers will monitor secondary outcomes like hematoma, infection, wound healing issues, tendon exposure, skin necrosis, contractures, scarring, divot formation, and skin graft irregularities for six months. The study collects demographic data and measures outcomes to better understand donor site recovery and quality of life after these closure techniques.

Radial Forearm Donor Site Closure