Outcome of microvascular free flaps in a high-volume training centre

TY - JOUR

T1 - Outcome of microvascular free flaps in a high-volume training centre

AU - Al-Dam, Ahmed

AU - Zrnc, Tomislav Ante

AU - Hanken, Henning

AU - Riecke, Björn

AU - Eichhorn, Wolfgang

AU - Nourwali, Ibrahim

AU - Smeets, Ralf

AU - Blessmann, Marco

AU - Heiland, Max

AU - Gröbe, Alexander

N1 - Copyright © 2014 European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PY - 2014

Y1 - 2014

N2 - PURPOSE: Microvascular free tissue transfer allows major ablative defects following oncologic surgical and traumatic reasons to be reliably reconstructed in the head and neck region. A retrospective analysis of the microvascular flap procedures which were performed within one year in a high volume training centre was performed.PATIENTS AND METHODS: The microvascular free flap procedures of the year 2011 were reviewed and followed up until the 31st December 2012. The type and indication of the reconstructive procedure, operation time, operating team, experience and level of training of the surgeons involved, postoperative IMC (intermediate care unit) and/or ICU (intensive care unit) time, inpatient time, flap revisions, further postoperative complications, preoperative and postoperative radiation of the patients, the placement of dental implants were studied.RESULTS: From 1st of January 2011 to 31st of December, 2011, the data of 101 patients with 103 microvascular free flap procedures were analysed of which 72% (84 flaps) were harvested by residents. The patients ranged in age from 14 to 89 years (mean age 59 years, 71 males and 40 females). The mean operation time was 591 min with the longest operation times for scapular flaps (744 min) and the shortest operation times for ALT flaps (455 min). Mean inpatient time was 34.2 days with a minimal time for the fibular flaps of 27.2 days and a maximum of 45.7 days for the latissimus dorsi flaps. 24 flaps (23.3%) in total had to be revised with bleeding being the main cause of immediate revisions (41.7% of all revisions). 5 flaps (4.85% of all flaps) were lost despite a revision procedure meaning a successful revision rate in 79.2% of all revisions.CONCLUSION: Microvascular reconstruction procedures are safe and should be considered as standard procedures for reconstruction of large defects especially in high volume training centres. Intensive flap monitoring and early revisions maximize the flap outcome.

AB - PURPOSE: Microvascular free tissue transfer allows major ablative defects following oncologic surgical and traumatic reasons to be reliably reconstructed in the head and neck region. A retrospective analysis of the microvascular flap procedures which were performed within one year in a high volume training centre was performed.PATIENTS AND METHODS: The microvascular free flap procedures of the year 2011 were reviewed and followed up until the 31st December 2012. The type and indication of the reconstructive procedure, operation time, operating team, experience and level of training of the surgeons involved, postoperative IMC (intermediate care unit) and/or ICU (intensive care unit) time, inpatient time, flap revisions, further postoperative complications, preoperative and postoperative radiation of the patients, the placement of dental implants were studied.RESULTS: From 1st of January 2011 to 31st of December, 2011, the data of 101 patients with 103 microvascular free flap procedures were analysed of which 72% (84 flaps) were harvested by residents. The patients ranged in age from 14 to 89 years (mean age 59 years, 71 males and 40 females). The mean operation time was 591 min with the longest operation times for scapular flaps (744 min) and the shortest operation times for ALT flaps (455 min). Mean inpatient time was 34.2 days with a minimal time for the fibular flaps of 27.2 days and a maximum of 45.7 days for the latissimus dorsi flaps. 24 flaps (23.3%) in total had to be revised with bleeding being the main cause of immediate revisions (41.7% of all revisions). 5 flaps (4.85% of all flaps) were lost despite a revision procedure meaning a successful revision rate in 79.2% of all revisions.CONCLUSION: Microvascular reconstruction procedures are safe and should be considered as standard procedures for reconstruction of large defects especially in high volume training centres. Intensive flap monitoring and early revisions maximize the flap outcome.

U2 - 10.1016/j.jcms.2014.02.005

DO - 10.1016/j.jcms.2014.02.005

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 24661422

VL - 42

SP - 1178

EP - 1183

JO - J CRANIO MAXILL SURG

JF - J CRANIO MAXILL SURG

SN - 1010-5182

IS - 7

ER -