Long-term functional donor site morbidity after ulnar forearm flap harvest

Background The purpose of this study was to evaluate long-term functional donor site morbidity following ulnar forearm flap harvest taking both subjective and objective criteria into consideration. Methods In this retrospective analysis, 61 patients were evaluated for subjective and objective donor site morbidity 3 to 164 months after flap harvest, and the Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) questionnaire was used for evaluation of subjective hand function. Results There was no significant grip strength decrease in the donor limbs. Two patients developed severe functional impairment of the donor forearm. DASH scores displayed only minor functional impairment, with marginally improving scores with increasing time lag to surgery. Conclusions Low donor site morbidity was found after ulnar flap harvest. However, minor rates of patients suffered from severe impairment of the hand function. Therefore, we recommend using the nondominant limb and informing the patients in detail about the specific functional limitations.