title: Negative pressure wound therapy for the management of flaps with venous congestion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this report is to evaluate the utility of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) for rescuing flaps with venous congestion not attributable to a mechanical etiology and that cannot be surgically salvaged.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 12 patients suffered from partial or total flap congestion after pedicle or free-flap reconstruction was included. All patients underwent NPWT between 3 and 10 days postoperatively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All congested flaps survived after the application of NPWT. Nine patients suffered partial flap loss and this was addressed through debridement of the devitalized tissue and primary closure. Three patients required blood transfusions during the course of their management. All patients presented complete coverage of the defects without further problems in the flaps after the treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NPWT may be considered an alternative management strategy for flaps, which has undergone venous congestion not due to a mechanical cause. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microsurgery 36:467-473, 2016.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang-Gung University, School of Medicine, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan.|Department of Plastic Surgery, Maastrich University Medical Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Shan Shan
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang-Gung University, School of Medicine, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chung-Chen
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Steven Alexander
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Hanna
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang-Gung University, School of Medicine, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Sirena Hsin-Yu
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang-Gung University, School of Medicine, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chon-Fok
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Cheong
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang-Gung University, School of Medicine, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chih-Hung
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang-Gung University, School of Medicine, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan. tommynjchanag@yahoo.com.tw.
authors.forename: Tommy Nai-Jen
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D006940:Hyperemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054843:Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000628:therapy*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply*; D016896:Treatment Outcome