The pedicled inferior paraumbilical perforator (I-PUP) flap for a volar wrist defect: a reconstructive solution across the ages.

Abstract

Full-thickness soft-tissue defects overlying vital forearm or wrist structures frequently result from acute trauma or tumor ablation. These defects present reconstructive challenges, due to the thin pliable skin to be replaced and the non-graftable bed beneath. The authors discuss a case of a renal-transplant patient with a volar wrist SCC, in whom local vascular anatomy deemed microvascular free tissue transfer inappropriate. The authors present a successful novel reconstructive solution; the pedicled inferior paraumbilical perforator flap (I-PUP), a two-staged procedure that incorporates principles of distant flaps--which pre-date microsurgery--combined with techniques and lessons learned in the era of perforator flap surgery.