Assessment of free microvascular flap perfusion by intraoperative fluorescence angiography in craniomaxillofacial surgery.
Microsurgical tissue transfer represents a standard technique for reconstruction in craniomaxillofacial surgery. The transferred tissue is anastomosed to vessels of varying diameters and different physiological conditions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the blood flow in free flaps at their origin and compare this with the flow after reperfusion. In 24 patients undergoing microsurgical procedures (13 radial forearm free flaps (RFFF) and 11 parascapular/scapular free flaps (PSFF)), blood flow was evaluated by intraoperative fluorescence angiography after flap raising and again after reperfusion in the neck area (Flow800, Carl Zeiss AG, Oberkochen, Germany). Flow is expressed by the blood flow index (BFI), maximum intensity (MaxInt) and half-time to MaxInt (t1/2) and was measured in the flap pedicle itself, as well as in the supplying vessels. Following anastomosis of the free flaps in the head and neck area, both the arterial and the venous BFI and MaxInt significantly increased, whereas t1/2 decreased significantly. There was no significant difference in the perfusion parameters between RFFF and PSFF. Intraoperative fluorescence angiography is a reliable method for assessing the perfusion of free microvascular flaps. In the head and neck area, free flaps undergo a significant increase in perfusion but show no differences between varying flap types.
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Glückstraße 11, 91056 Erlangen, Germany. Electronic address: raimund.preidl@uk-erlangen.de.
Raimund H M
RH
Preidl
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Glückstraße 11, 91056 Erlangen, Germany.
Tilo
T
Schlittenbauer
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Glückstraße 11, 91056 Erlangen, Germany.
Manuel
M
Weber
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Glückstraße 11, 91056 Erlangen, Germany.
Friedrich W
FW
Neukam
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Glückstraße 11, 91056 Erlangen, Germany.
Falk
F
Wehrhan
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000379:methods; D001158:Arteries / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D058752:Free Tissue Flaps / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000637:transplantation; D006257:Head / Q000098:blood supply / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007430:Intraoperative Care; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck / Q000098:blood supply / Q000601:surgery; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000502:physiology; D015424:Reperfusion; D014654:Vascular Patency / Q000502:physiology
Flow 800; Fluorescence angiography; Free flap; Microsurgical reconstruction