Recovery of sensation in the skin of non-innervated radial flaps after subfascial and suprafascial dissection

We compared the extent of recovery of sensation in 40 non-innervated radial free flaps, 20 of which had been raised subfascially and 20 suprafascially. We found no significant difference in sensory recovery between the two groups. The mean extent of sensory recovery was light touch (68%); sharp touch (84%); warm (29%) and cold (40%) temperature; and static (25%) and moving (31%) two-point discrimination. Nearly all the flaps responded to at least one stimulus (excluding two-point discrimination) and half of them to three or more. Sharp touch sensation in the flap was similar to that in the surrounding tissues and light touch was less sensitive. There was no dysaesthesia. Recovery was not related to sex, age, alcohol consumption, or site of reconstruction. Smoking and radiotherapy had a slight effect.