Forearm musculofasciocutaneous flap to cover glenohumeral arthrodesis hardware during reconstruction of the flail upper extremity

Abstract

For selected patients with flail upper extremities after brachial plexus injury, glenohumeral arthrodesis, above-the-elbow amputation, and fitting of an above-the-elbow prosthesis are effective reconstructive options. In such situations, soft-tissue thinning at the shoulder, especially deltoid atrophy, presents the potential problem of shoulder fusion hardware causing pain or even eroding overlying soft tissue. The authors have used a pedicled forearm musculofasciocutaneous flap, elevated just before above-the-elbow amputation and subsequently transposed to the shoulder, to provide high-quality soft-tissue coverage of the arthrodesis hardware. Preliminary results with three patients suggest that this procedure may be useful for preventing tenderness and breakdown of tissue overlying glenohumeral arthrodesis hardware. In all three patients, the forearm flap remained well perfused, and all wounds healed fully with no subsequent problems with skin breakdown. All three patients had long-term benefit from prosthesis fitting.