Buried anterolateral thigh flap for pharyngoesophageal reconstruction: our method for monitoring.
BACKGROUND
A noninvasive method for monitoring in cases of pharyngoesophageal defects reconstruction with the anterolateral thigh flap is presented.


METHODS
Seventeen patients underwent reconstruction from 2005 to 2007. In 16 patients, the distal stump of the descending branch of lateral circumflex femoral artery (LCFA) was left on the skin surface covered with a transparent film dressing and monitoring was performed by direct observation of the pulsation. In the 17th patient, the pedicle emerged from the transverse branch of the LCFA and dissection of the distal stump for monitoring was impossible; therefore, he was excluded from the study.


RESULTS
Cessation of the pulsation of the stump was noticed immediately postoperatively in 1 patient because of occlusion of the arterial anastomosis and in a second case 15 hours postoperatively due to a neck hematoma that caused collapse of the vein of the pedicle. Both flaps were salvaged.


CONCLUSIONS
The proposed method of monitoring is simple, reliable, costless, and easily interpreted by the nursing staff.
Spyropoulou
Georgia-Alexandra Ch
GA
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaoshiung Medical Center, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaoshiung Hsien, Taiwan.
Kuo
Yur-Ren
YR
Chien
Chih-Yen
CY
Yang
Johnson Chia-Shen
JC
Jeng
Seng-Feng
SF
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000637:transplantation; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D007012:Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods*; D009959:Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011673:Pulsatile Flow / Q000502:physiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply*; D013848:Thigh; D016896:Treatment Outcome