title: Near-infrared spectroscopy in autologous breast reconstruction.
abstract: Autologous breast reconstruction is commonly performed after mastectomy and provides a natural replacement that mimics the native breast. Although current free flap success rates exceed 95%, total flap loss can be devastating for patients. As a result, new technologies have emerged to provide an objective means for flap monitoring, with the hope that vaso-occlusive events can be detected before the clinical manifestation of a microvascular complication and the no-reflow phenomenon. This article focuses on the available data for one new technology, near-infrared spectroscopy, and its current use in clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, 15 Parkman Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA. acolwell@partners.org
authors.forename: Amy S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Colwell
authors.forename: Randall O
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: Craft
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016462:Mammaplasty; D008408:Mastectomy; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply*