[Postoperative vessel thrombosis and its management after free flap transfers in head and neck region].
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the rate of postoperative vessel thrombosis and its management after free tissue transfers in head and neck region.


METHODS
Eight hundred and forty-nine consecutive free flap transfers were performed from May 1999 to September 2004. Among them, the flaps with postoperative vessel thrombosis were selected and reviewed. Data concerning each case included time of vessel thrombosis, kind of thrombosis, time of emergent exploration, and salvage of free flaps.


RESULTS
Among the 849 free flaps, postoperative vessel thrombosis occurred in 28 free flaps, between 8 to 120 hours after operation. There were 5 arterial thrombosis, and 23 venous thrombosis. Thirteen flaps were salvaged after emergent exploration, and 15 flaps were lost. The rate of postoperative vessel thrombosis was 3.3% in this group, the salvage rate of flap was 46.4%, and the overall successful rate was 98.2%.


CONCLUSIONS
Clinical monitoring after free flap transfer in head and neck region is very important and effective. In case of vessel thrombosis, emergent exploration is the only effective way to salvage the flap.
Mao
Chi
C
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Peking University School of Stomatology, Beijing 100081, China. maochi@2911.net
Yu
Guan-yan
GY
Peng
Xin
X
Guo
Chuan-bin
CB
Huang
Min-xian
MX
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D058752:Free Tissue Flaps / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006257:Head / Q000601:surgery; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures; D016378:Tissue Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology*; D055815:Young Adult