title: Microvascular reconstruction of the mouth, jaws, and face: experience of an Australian oral and maxillofacial surgery unit.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Microvascular reconstruction of oncologic surgical and traumatic defects has been globally practiced by plastic and orthopedic surgical disciplines since the early 1970s. During the past 20 years, reconstructive techniques have been progressively incorporated into the purview of oral and maxillofacial and otolaryngology-head and neck surgeons, particularly those practicing in Europe, the United Kingdom, and China. There has also been a steady increase in the adoption of these techniques in North America, South America, and Japan.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed our experience (during a 5-year period) with microvascular reconstruction of postablative defects in the oral and maxillofacial region. To our knowledge, resection and neck dissection (or neck exploration in benign free tissue transfer); undertaken by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon), and free tissue transfer reconstruction (undertaken by otolaryngology head and neck and oral and maxillofacial surgeons) of ablative defects of the mouth, jaws, and face (managed within an Australian head and neck cancer multidisciplinary care team) have not been previously reported.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study cohort comprised 107 patients who underwent 109 microvascularly anastomosed free tissue transfers. Of the 107 patients, 79 were males and 38 were females. The median age was 62 years (range 15 to 87). The clinicodemographic analyses and the range of complications observed in this patient cohort are reported. The overall flap success rate in our study was 97%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The surgical outcomes of our study compare favorably with those previously reported.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, John Hunter Hospital, New Lambton, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Gary R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Hoffman
authors.forename: Shofiq
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Islam
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Eisenberg
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000379:methods; D001315:Australia; D016025:Bone Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000601:surgery; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005153:Facial Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D005205:Fascia / Q000637:transplantation; D005260:Female; D058752:Free Tissue Flaps / Q000098:blood supply / Q000145:classification; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications; D007573:Jaw Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D037981:Neck Dissection / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology; D055815:Young Adult