Moisturization of the Surgical Field during Cancer Resection Reduces Perioperative Complications in Reconstruction Surgery.

Background: Intraoperative tissue desiccation is a risk factor for infection and wound necrosis. We hypothesized that maintaining a moist environment in the surgical field would reduce perioperative complications in free flap reconstruction for head and neck cancer surgery.

Methods: A total of 331 patients who underwent free flap reconstruction after head and neck cancer surgery from January 2013 to December 2017 at Osaka International Cancer Institute were included in the study. We classified patients into two groups: those in whom saline was sprayed only during reconstruction (control group: 162 patients) and those in whom saline was sprayed in the surgical field intermittently during cancer resection and reconstruction (moisturized group: 169 patients). We compared perioperative complications, including intraoperative arterial anastomotic thrombosis, between the two groups. Other candidate risk factors for intraoperative arterial thrombosis that were assessed included a history of preoperative irradiation, history of neck surgery, advanced age, and flap type.

Results: Rates of abscess formation and intraoperative arterial thrombosis were significantly lower in the moisturized group than in the control group (6.5% versus 12.7%, P < 0.05 and 3.0% versus 11.1%, P < 0.01, respectively). Binomial logistic regression analysis revealed that, in addition to no moisturization during cancer resection, advanced age and jejunal flap use were significant risk factors for intraoperative arterial thrombosis.

Conclusions: Moisturization of the surgical field during cancer resection reduced the rate of perioperative complications in free flap reconstruction. Although simple, preventing desiccation of the surgical field by spraying saline solution intermittently had significant benefits on postoperative complications.