title: The pulse oximeter in free muscle flap surgery. "A microvascular surgeon's sleep aid".
abstract: An open lower tibial fracture and an associated soft tissue defect were covered with a free latissimus muscle flap and skin graft. A 1.5 x 3.5 cm skin island "buoy" supplied by a single myocutaneous perforator was left attached to the revascularized muscle flap for seven days and monitored with a pulse oximeter. Pulsatile arterial flow and O2 saturation in the revascularized free flap were accurately and reliably followed postoperatively.
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic Surgery, Tucson Veterans' Administration Medical Center, Arizona.
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Menick
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006083:Graft Occlusion, Vascular / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods*; D010092:Oximetry; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000601:surgery*