Complications and outcome after free flap surgery for cancer of the head and neck

We retrospectively studied 136 patients who had free flap reconstruction for cancer of the head and neck at a single centre (2008–2015) to evaluate complications, assess factors associated with them, and analyse their impact on outcome. Preoperative and perioperative data, and surgical and medical complications were recorded, and the impact of the complications on duration of hospital stay and survival were assessed. A total of 86 (63%) patients had complications. Compared with those who did not, they had a higher rate of alcohol abuse (21/86, compared with 5/50, p=0.039), longer operations (median (IQR) 565 (458–653 compared with 479 (418–556) minutes, p<0.001), and greater intraoperative loss of blood (725 (400–1150) compared with 525 (300–800) ml, p=0.042).

https://ift.tt/2MdsYgb