title: Reconstruction of defects in the head and neck with free flaps: 20 years experience.
abstract: Between March 1982 and December 2002 we did a total of 534 reconstructions with free flaps from various donor sites for 529 patients. The jejunum was the donor site in 181 reconstructions (34%), followed by the radial forearm flap in 173 reconstructions (32%); 86% of the reconstructions were immediately after excisions. Surgical re-exploration was necessary in 37 patients (7%); the failure rate from necrosis of the flap was 5%. Factors associated with complications were American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) class and age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hannover Medical School, OE7720, Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany. eckardt.andre@mh-hannover.de
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eckardt
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Laas
authors.forename: J-E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Hausamen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016025:Bone Transplantation; D002648:Child; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000601:surgery; D019465:Craniofacial Abnormalities / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006085:Graft Survival; D006257:Head / Q000601:surgery*; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007583:Jejunum / Q000637:transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D013524:Surgical Flaps