The extended lateral arm flap in head and neck reconstruction.

Background: The lateral arm flap has been proven to be a reliable and versatile flap for the coverage of small to moderated-sized defects, especially in the head and neck and in the extremities. This flap has been modified by either extending the vascular pedicle or the flap territory.

Methods: From September 1997 to October 2000, we performed 17 free lateral arm flaps with extension of the flap size, including 1 osteofasciocutaneous flap for the coverage of head and neck defects.