Sensory deficit in the donor hand after harvest of radial forearm free flaps

Fifty patients undergoing radial forearm free flap reconstruction of head and neck defects were examined to find out the extent of sensory defect at the donor site. Flaps (mean length 6 cm, range 4–9) and mean width 4.7 cm (range 3.5–7) were raised. Of the 50 patients 38 (76%) were aware of some sensory loss over the radial distribution in the donor hand. There was objective evidence of a reduction in at least one sensory function in 32 of these patients (84%). The mean affected area was 44.3 cm2 (range 6–125). The mean length of the affected area was 11.3 cm (range 4.3–12.1) and the mean width 5.1 cm (range 2.1–8.4). Of the 12 patients (24%) who reported no feeling of sensory loss all modalities of sensation were preserved in 11 (92%).