Abstract: Objective　 To investigate the effects of free forearm flap repair on hand function in patients who had oral and maxillofacial soft tissue defects. Methods Experimental subjects included 36 patients who underwent forearm free flap transfer in Stomatological Hospital of Jiangsu Province. The hand functions of patients were assessed by clinical follow-up. The experimental data of skin temperature, degree of flexion and extension of elbow and wrist joint, grip, cold sensation, heat sensation, pain and evaluation of appearance were recorded. The contralateral hands of the same patients as controls underwent the same tests. The results of the left and right sides of the same patient were further compared and paired t-test and rank-sum test were used. Result There was no significant difference in hand grip of patients but there was difference in feeling at skin graft area after flap harvest as compared with the contralateral side. Five patients had a feeling of numbness around the dorsal surface of thumb. Sensory function of the dorsal surface of left thumb in these patients was significantly different as compared with the contralateral side, while the remaining 31 patients had no significant difference. There were no significant differences in skin temperature, peripheral nail microcirculation, elbow and wrist flexion and extension degree of left hand compared with the contralateral side. Conclusion Free forearm flap transfer needs sacrificing radial artery, but the blood supply of hand can still be guaranteed by the compensatory effect of ulnar artery and the improvement of collateral circulation. It has no significant adverse effects on patient’s hand function when careful dissection is performed to avoid nerve injury during flap harvest.

Key words: Free Forearm Flap, radial artery , hand function