Back to all
29.10.22
Microvascular reconstruction outcomes from a New Zealand Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Unit
Hannah Maher, Ellen Simpson, Thasvir Singh
NZMJ Vol 135 No 1564: 28 October 2022
Abstract
AIM: The Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMS) Department at Waikato District Health Board (WDHB) is the only current OMS unit within
New Zealand to reconstruct oral cavity defects with microvascular free flaps. The primary objective of the study was to retrospectively
analyse the demographics, outcomes and complications of free flap surgery patients at WDHB.
METHOD: An OMS reconstruction database was developed and data collected retrospectively. Seventy-five free flaps were performed
on 74 patients between 2012 and 2020.
RESULTS: There were 34 females and 40 males, with a mean and median age of 62 and 64 respectively. The tongue was the most
common site of resection, and squamous cell carcinoma was the most frequent diagnosis. The radial forearm free flap was used most
often followed by the fibula and anterolateral thigh flaps. The Clavien–Dindo classification was used to classify complications, with 10
patients having “major” complications and 34 patients having “minor” complications.
CONCLUSION: Flap success rate was 98.7%, which meets internationally accepted standards of care.