Dovetailing skin incision design of radial forearm free flap for forearm wound closure and maxillofacial reconstruction.

[OBJECT] This study aimed to examine the feasibility of the dovetailing skin incision design of radial forearm free flap (RFFF) for closing forearm wounds and performing maxillofacial reconstruction.

[METHOD] A total of 27 patients were divided into two groups. In the dovetail group (n = 16), forearm wounds were closed primarily and maxillofacial defects were reconstructed by dovetail RFFF. In the conventional group (n = 11), forearm wounds were closed by skin grafts from the abdomen or mattress suturing, and maxillofacial defects were reconstructed by conventional RFFF. Information on the healing time of the forearm wound, length of postsurgical hospitalization, esthetic assessments, and complications associated with the forearm wound and the maxillofacial region was collected at least 6 months postoperatively.

[RESULT] The average size of the flap in the dovetail group was smaller than that in the conventional group ( = 0.134), and average healing time of the forearm wound in dovetail group was significantly shorter than that in conventional group ( = 0.000). Comparing with the conventional group, there were more cases in the dovetail group demonstrating decreased sensitivity ( = 1.000). Esthetic assessments of forearm wound and maxillofacial reconstructions in the dovetail group were significantly higher than that in the conventional group ( = 0.000).

[CONCLUSION] Closure of forearm wounds and maxillofacial defects using dovetail design was found to be a feasible alternative to the conventional design.