Recipient bed perfusion as a predictor for postoperative complications in irradiated patients with microvascular free tissue transfer of the head and neck area: a clinical analysis of 191 microvascular free flaps.

Purpose: Despite microvascular free tissue transfer being the mainstay of care in the reconstruction of larger maxillofacial defects, a significant number of patients experience postoperative complications due to impaired blood supply of the flap. In this context, the early influence of recipient bed perfusion remains unclear, but there is evidence that it is associated with free flap viability immediately after surgery.

Methods: We analyzed flap and recipient bed perfusion within the first 2 weeks after surgery by using the oxygen-to-see device.