Quantitative Assessment of Free Flap Viability with CEUS Using an Integrated Perfusion Software.

PURPOSE: New treatment strategies in oncology and trauma surgery lead to an increasing demand for soft tissue reconstruction with free tissue transfer. In previous studies, CEUS was proven to detect early flap failure. The aim of this study was to detect and quantify vascular disturbances after free flap transplantation using a fast integrated perfusion software tool. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From 2011 to 2013, 33 patients were examined by one experienced radiologist using CEUS after a bolus injection of 1-2.4 ml of SonoVue(®). Flap perfusion was analysed qualitatively regarding contrast defects or delayed wash-in. Additionally, an integrated semi-quantitative analysis using time-intensity curve analysis (TIC) was performed. TIC analysis of the transplant was conducted on a centimetre-by-centimetre basis up to a penetration depth of 4 cm. The 2 perfusion parameters "Time to PEAK" and "Area under the Curve" were compared in patients without complications vs. patients with minor complications or complete flap loss to figure out significant differences. TtoPk is given in seconds (s) and Area is given in relative units (rU) Results: A regular postoperative process was observed in 26 (79%) patients. In contrast, 5 (15%) patients with partial superficial flap necrosis, 1 patient (3%) with complete flap loss and 1 patient (3%) with haematoma were observed. TtoPk revealed no significant differences, whereas Area revealed significantly lower perfusion values in the corresponding areas in patients with complications. The critical threshold for sufficient flap perfusion was set below 150 rU. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, CEUS is a mobile and cost-effective opportunity to quantify tissue perfusion and can even be used almost without any restrictions in multi-morbid patients with renal and hepatic failure.

Assessment of Fibula Flap Skin Perfusion in Patients Undergoing Oromandibular Reconstruction: Comparison of Clinical Findings, Fluorescein, and Indocyanine Green Angiography.

IMPORTANCE: Complications of partial flap necrosis contribute substantially to morbidity in patients who undergo head and neck reconstructive surgery. OBJECTIVE: To assess the usefulness of clinical findings, intraoperative fluorescein angiography, and intraoperative indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) for evaluation of flap skin paddle perfusion in patients undergoing oromandibular reconstruction who are at high risk of partial skin paddle necrosis. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Retrospective medical record review from May 21, 1996, to May 27, 2015, at a tertiary care academic medical center. Participants were 73 patients who underwent reconstruction of through-and-through defects of the mucosa, mandible, and skin using fibula free flaps that contained large bilobed skin paddles. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The rates of partial skin paddle necrosis and revision reconstructive surgery. RESULTS: The rates of partial flap necrosis were 8% (n = 2) among 25 patients in whom the skin paddle was trimmed based on ICGA and 33% (n = 16) among 48 patients in whom the skin paddle was trimmed according to clinical findings (P = .02). The rates of revision reconstructive surgery were 20% (5 of 25) when flap skin paddles were trimmed using ICGA and 42% (20 of 48) when trimmed per clinical findings (P = .06). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The use of ICGA may reduce the risk of partial skin flap necrosis in free flaps used in patients undergoing head and neck reconstruction who are at high risk of developing flap necrosis. Indocyanine green angiography imaging should be considered in any flap in which skin paddle viability is uncertain based on clinical findings and in patients in whom the skin paddle extends beyond the primary and adjacent angiosomes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3.

Free tissue transfer in the obese patient: an outcome and cost analysis in 1258 consecutive abdominally based reconstructions.

BACKGROUND: The authors' institution has seen an increase in obese and morbidly obese patients seeking autologous breast reconstruction. The authors provide a comprehensive outcome analysis of patients undergoing abdominally based autologous breast reconstruction. METHODS: The authors identified obese patients receiving free tissue transfer for breast reconstruction. World Health Organization body mass index criteria were used: nonobese (body mass index, 20 to 29.9 kg/m), class I (30 to 34.9 kg/m), class II (35 to 39.9 kg/m), and class III (>40 kg/m). Patient comorbidities, body mass index, complications (medical and surgical), and hospital resource use were examined. RESULTS: Eight-hundred twelve patients undergoing 1258 free tissue transfers for breast reconstruction were included. Overall, 66.5 percent (n = 540) were considered nonobese, 22.9 percent (n = 186) had class I obesity, 5.0 percent (n = 41) had class II, and 5.7 percent (n = 45) had class III. Obesity was associated with a significant increase in minor (p = 0.001) and major (p = 0.013) complications. Morbidly obese patients had significantly higher rates of total flap loss (p = 0.006) and longer operative times (p = 0.0002). Complications translated into greater cost and resource consumption (p < 0.001). Muscle-sparing transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap experienced a significantly higher rate of hernia compared with other flaps (p = 0.02), without a difference in flap loss rate (p = 0.61). CONCLUSIONS: Increasing obesity is associated with increased perioperative risk in free abdominally based autologous breast reconstruction, which translated into greater perioperative morbidity, higher hospital cost, and increased health care resource consumption. Higher body mass index is directly related to intraoperative technical difficulty, flap loss, donor-site morbidity, and cost use. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Risk, II.

[Comparative assessment of the reparative process of wounds of the liver and kidneys depending on the kind of plastic material in experiment].

In 52 rabbits a morphological assessment was made of regeneration of wounds of the liver and kidneys after their plasty with a seromuscle flap of the stomach on the vascular pedicle (26 rabbits), of hepatorhaphy and omentonephroplasty (26 rabbits) within the period from 1 to 360 days and was compared with literature data concerning reparation of the liver and kidney of the rabbit with the application of bio- and polymer materials for covering their wounds. The influence of plastic properties of the materials used on the productivity of the inflammatory-reparative process was established. In suturing the wounds of parenchymatous organs it is necessary to use plastic materials stimulating regeneration. The application of seromuscle flap of the stomach for these purposes improves the inflammatory-reparative process making it more productive as compared with bio- and polymer materials.