title: Free-flap failure in thrombophilia: case report and systematic review of the literature.
abstract: Free-tissue transfer has become routine surgery because of standardization of instrumentation, techniques, and training. The incidence of microvascular thrombosis leading to free-flap failure is relatively low; however, anastomotic thrombosis can still occur despite the best of circumstances. Although majority of the time it is due to technical mishap or misjudgment, free-flap failure can occur due to intrinsic factors, such as the patient's increased propensity to develop clots. We describe a case report of a patient with malignancy and multiple thrombophilias, which led to 2 successive failures in microvascular flap transfer to restore abdominal domain. The aim o f this article is to increase awareness of the potential for thrombophilias to cause a dismal outcome in free-tissue transfer. A review of the literature will be presented, and published cases of free-flap failure in patients with thrombophilia(s) will be summarized.
authors: From the Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR.
authors: Krithika
authors: K
authors: Srikanthan
authors: Nisha
authors: N
authors: Viswanathan
authors: James C
authors: JC
authors: Yuen
mesh_terms: D058752:Free Tissue Flaps / Q000098:blood supply*; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D019851:Thrombophilia / Q000150:complications*; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery