Perioperative Deep Vein Thrombosis Risk Stratification.
Patients with head and neck cancer who undergo reconstructive surgery are at risk for deep venous thrombosis (DVT), but the risk profile for patients undergoing major flap reconstruction is highly variable. Herein, we report our findings from a retrospective analysis of head and neck cancer patients (n = 517) who underwent free (n = 384) or pedicled (n = 133) flap reconstructive operations at a major tertiary care center from 2011 to 2014. DVTs developed perioperatively in 9 (1.7%) patients. Compared with pedicled flap patients, free flap patients had a longer mean operative time (421.4 ± 4.4 vs 332.7 ± 10.7 min, P < .0001), but the DVT incidence did not differ significantly between free and pedicled flap patients (1.6% vs 2.2%, respectively, P = .28). These data suggest that perioperative DVT risk in head and neck oncology patients may be largely similar regardless of the reconstructive strategy pursued.
1 Department of Otolaryngology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Sumi
S
Sinha
1 Department of Otolaryngology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Sidharth V
SV
Puram
1 Department of Otolaryngology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Rosh K V
RK
Sethi
2 Department of Otolaryngology, Penn State Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA.
Neerav
N
Goyal
1 Department of Otolaryngology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Kevin S
KS
Emerick
1 Department of Otolaryngology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Derrick
D
Lin
3 Department of Medicine, Infectious Disease Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Marlene L
ML
Durand
1 Department of Otolaryngology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Daniel G
DG
Deschler
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061646:Operative Time; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*
deep vein thrombosis; free flap; head and neck; microvascular reconstruction; pedicled flap