Preoperative Vascular Interventions to Improve Donor Leg Perfusion: A Report of Two Fibula Free Flaps Used in Head and Neck Reconstruction.

Preoperative Vascular Interventions to Improve Donor Leg Perfusion: A Report of Two Fibula Free Flaps Used in Head and Neck Reconstruction.

J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2018 Nov 01;:

Authors: Kim RY, Burkes JN, Broker HS, Williams FC

Abstract
PURPOSE: For reconstruction of head and neck defects, the fibula free flap is the first choice at many institutions. The main contraindication for fibula harvest is the lack of 3-vessel runoff, which leads to postoperative vascular compromise of the lower extremity. Atherosclerosis is the most common disease, which can limit the use of this donor site. In general, vascular interventions, which include angioplasty, atherectomy, and stenting, have been used to fix arterial supplies using endovascular methods. The purpose of this study was to report on the outcome of a preliminary cohort of patients after vascular interventions to re-establish vessel patency to allow safe use of the free fibula free flap in head and neck reconstruction.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A single-institution retrospective case review using electronic medical records was designed. The study population was composed of patients who underwent a fibula free flap procedure for head and neck reconstruction from 2015 through 2017. Inclusion criteria were patients who underwent conventional angiography and required vascular interventions. There were no specific exclusion criteria. The primary outcome of interest was vascular compromise of the donor site. Additional variables of interest included success of reconstruction and perioperative donor or recipient site complications.
RESULTS: Two patients who underwent preoperative vascular interventions of the superficial femoral artery and posterior tibial artery were identified. The mean age was 65 years, and these patients underwent resection and reconstruction for mandibular carcinoma. For these patients, fibula flaps were harvested from the left lower extremity and included skin paddles. The fibula flaps survived and the donor feet maintained adequate perfusion. One patient had poor take of the split-thickness skin graft. No long-term functional deficit was noted.
CONCLUSIONS: Vascular interventions could be a safe method to re-establish vascular flow and 3-vessel runoff for select patients initially unable to undergo fibula free flap harvest.

PMID: 30471961 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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