Management of Unfavorable Outcomes in Head and Neck Free Flap Reconstruction: Experience-Based Lessons from the MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Complex head and neck reconstruction often mandates free tissue transfer to achieve the most optimal outcomes. Unfortunately, such challenging cases are not without risks of complications, the most dreaded of which is loss of the free flap. Aside from loss of the free flap, there are several other potential complications that can result following head and neck reconstruction. Certain complications are avoided with careful planning, others require significant revisions and in certain cases another free flap. This article presents the experience managing a series of unique complications following free flap head and neck reconstruction.
Department of Plastic Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
Edward I
EI
Chang
Department of Plastic Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
Matthew M
MM
Hanasono
Department of Plastic Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX 77030, USA. Electronic address: cbutler@mdanderson.org.
Charles E
CE
Butler
D058752:Free Tissue Flaps / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000098:blood supply; D006257:Head / Q000601:surgery; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008866:Microsurgery; D009333:Neck / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000601:surgery; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D020127:Recovery of Function; D016896:Treatment Outcome
Complications; Free flap loss; Head and neck free flap; Microsurgery; Surgical flaps; Thrombosis