Superficial temporal versus cervical recipient vessels in maxillary and midface free vascularized tissue reconstruction: our 14-year experience

Publication date: Available online 20 February 2018
Source:Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Author(s): Jun Li, Yi Shen, Liang Wang, Jin-bing Wang, Jian Sun, Thorsen W. Haugen
PurposeTo review our surgical experience in maxillary and midface reconstruction using free vascularized tissue, and to compare the postoperative outcomes based on superficial temporal versus cervical recipient vessels.MethodsA retrospective review was performed on patients who underwent maxillary and midface reconstruction with free vascularized tissue from March of 2001 to July of 2014. Two groups were analyzed: those in which the superficial temporal vessels were used as recipient vessels and those in which cervical vessels were used as the recipient vessels. Patient gender, age, cause and classification of the defect, flap choice for reconstruction, recipient vessels, postoperative course and complications were additionally recorded and analyzed. A two-tailed Fisher exact test was used to compare outcomes between the two groups.ResultsBased on the different recipient vessels, 94 patients were divided into two groups: those with superficial temporal recipient vessels (n = 44), and those with cervical recipient vessels (n = 50). The overall flap survival rate was 99.0%. The overall complication rate for vascular anastomoses was 5.3%. The complication rate for those with cervical recipient vessels was higher than the complication rate for those with superficial temporal recipient vessels (8.0 vs 2.27%, p = 0.37). Additionally, for those in the group with superficial temporal recipient vessels, the postoperative scar in the pre-tragal region was rated as more satisfactory than the post-surgical scars for those in the cervical recipient vessel group.ConclusionThe authors recommend that the superficial temporal vessels be the first option for recipient vessels in free vascularized tissue maxillary and midface reconstruction due to proximity; superficial positioning; suitability for anastomosis and monitoring; and because these vessels are rarely compromised by prior operations or radiotherapy.



http://ift.tt/2sFC5gS