Blood supply of the subcutaneous tissue of the upper limb and its importance in the subcutaneous flap

Vascularization of the subcutaneous tissue of the upper extremity is described. Injection of coloured latex or India ink and gelatine solution showed the principal sources of the blood supply. Microdissection and transclarification of Spalteholz allowed for the study of the direct and indirect arterial branches which form the principal network of the subcutaneous tissue. The findings are of practical importance since the subcutaneous tissue can be used as a separate flap for covering soft tissue defects of the forearm and hand.