Use of a Flexor Carpi Ulnaris Muscle Flap To Cover an Exposed Hemodialysis Access—A Case Report

Exposed vascular grafts rapidly become infected, and these infections are difficult to eradicate. Salvage of exposed vascular grafts can be achieved by muscle flap, since the potential increase in local blood supply can help to control the infection. The authors report a case in which an exposed hemodialysis graft was covered with a flap created from the flexor carpi ulnaris muscle. Because this muscle is a wrist flexor and adductor, its use in a flap may weaken the wrist. However, tenodesing the flexor carpi ulnaris tendon to the flexor carpi radialis tendon, as was done in this case, can help preserve the function of the flexor carpi uinaris muscle.