Abstract
Sarcopenia is a disease in which skeletal muscle mass (SMM) and function are progressively lost. Here, we investigate surgical site infection (SSI) as a function of SMM in patients who underwent free flap reconstruction for a defect caused by oral cancer resection. A nonrandomized, retrospective group of 122 patients treated with free flap reconstruction after oral cancer resection was enrolled in the study. All subjects also underwent preoperative abdominal-lumbar computed tomography (CT). Cross-sectional areas (cm2 ) of skeletal muscles in the L3 region were measured by manual outline on CT images. The obtained areas were normalized for height (cm2 /m2 ), and the resulting value is referred to as the skeletal muscle index (SMI). Recipient site SSI occurred in 30 patients (24.6%). Underweight status (body mass index [BMI] < 18.5 kg/m2 ), anemia and lower SMI were significantly related to recipient site SSI in univariate analysis (p < . 05). In multiple logistic regression analysis, lower SMI was an independent significant risk factor for recipient site SSI (p = .015, adjusted odds ratio = 1.41 per 5 cm2 /m2 decrease). These findings suggest that a decrease in SMM might have more impact than a decrease in BMI on SSI in free flap reconstruction after resection of oral cancer.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
