Prophylactic muscle flaps in vascular surgery

Abstract

Vascular surgery-related groin complications can lead to catastrophic outcomes and pose a significant healthcare burden. We have taken steps to reduce potential complications at the time of initial surgery by performing prophylactic muscle flaps. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and benefit of prophylactic flaps in high-risk patients. A retrospective cohort study was performed on patients undergoing open vascular surgery involving the femoral vessels through a groin incision between 2005 and 2010. Patients receiving prophylactic muscle flaps at their initial surgery were compared with those patients not receiving a flap (control). Sixty-eight prophylactic flaps in 53 patients were compared with 195 open vascular procedures without flaps in 178 patients. The most frequent indication was reoperative bypass surgery with prosthetic reconstruction (63%). The prophylactic patient group exhibited significantly higher rates of comorbidities, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (25.0% vs 12.6%; P = .018) and hyperlipidemia (80.9% vs 59.1%; P = .002). Patients receiving prophylactic flaps had lower rates of overall complications (16.2% vs 50.3%; P < .001), infections (1.5% vs 38.5%; P < .001), seroma (0% vs 7.2%; P = .023), and lymphocele (1.5% vs 15.4%; P = .002). Multivariate regression demonstrated that obesity (odds ratio [OR], 2.1 [1.001-4.49]; P = .05), smoking (OR, 2.7 [1.37-5.16]; P = .004), reoperation (OR, 3.5 [1.41-8.63]; P = .007), and prosthetic graft reconstruction (OR, 2.0 [1.03-3.78]; P = .04) were associated with postoperative complications. Additionally, in analyzing all groin complications in all patients, we found that patients who received a prophylactic flap experienced significantly less groin wound complications (OR, 0.17; P < .001). Complications following open groin surgery are common, lead to significant morbidity, and are very costly. Performing prophylactic muscle flaps at the initial surgery to cover the femoral vessels and reduce dead space can significantly reduce complications in select high-risk patients. Prophylactic flaps are safe, effective, and should be considered in patients with multiple comorbidities undergoing high-risk groin surgery, such as reoperative prosthetic bypass surgery.