title: Effect of heparin on prevention of flap loss in microsurgical free flap transfer: a meta-analysis.
abstract: The effectiveness of heparin for thromboprophylaxis during microvascular free flap transfer is uncertain. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to determine the effect of heparin on the prevention of flap loss in microsurgical free flap transfer.A search of PubMed, Cochrane databases, and Google Scholar using combinations of the search terms heparin, free flap, flap loss, free tissue transfer was conducted on March 15, 2013. Inclusion criteria were: 1) Prospective randomized trials. 2) Retrospective, non-randomized studies. 3) Patients received free tissue transfer. Flap loss rate was used to evaluate treatment efficacy. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated and compared between therapies. Four studies meet the criteria for analysis and were included. Two studiescompared aspirin and heparin, and the ORs of the 2 studies were 1.688 and 2.087. The combined OR of 2.003 (95% CI 0.976-4.109, p = 0.058) did not indicate any significant difference between heparin and aspirin therapies. Two studiescompared high and low doses of dalteparin/heparin therapies, and the ORs of the 2 studies were 4.691 and 11.00. The combined OR of 7.810 (95% CI 1.859-32.808, p = 0.005) revealed a significant difference indicating that high dose dalteparin or heparin therapy is associated with a greater flap loss rate than low dose therapy. Heparin and aspirin prophylaxis are associated with similar flap loss rates after free flap transfer, and high dose dalteparin or heparin therapy is associated with a greater flap loss rate than low dose therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Burns, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Xuan-Liang
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: Department of Burns, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Guo-Xian
authors.initials: GX
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Burns, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Hua-Wei
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.affiliation: Department of Burns, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Chun-Mao
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Burns, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Li-Ping
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Burns, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Li-Zhu
authors.initials: LZ
authors.lastname: Zhi
mesh_terms: D001241:Aspirin / Q000494:pharmacology; D017985:Dalteparin / Q000494:pharmacology; D058752:Free Tissue Flaps / Q000473:pathology*; D006493:Heparin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D006493:Heparin; D001241:Aspirin; D017985:Dalteparin
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