The External Jugular Vein Used as Recipient Vessel in Head and Neck Free Flap Reconstruction: Outcomes Compared to the Internal Jugular Vein.

Abstract

Contradictory data exists on the success rates of employing the external jugular (EJ) vein as a recipient vessel for venous outflow in free flap head and neck reconstruction compared with the internal jugular (IJ) vein. The authors hereby present a retrospective study of prospectively collected data over a 14-year period. Five hundred seventy-eight patients underwent 639 free flap head and neck over 14 years. Two hundred seventy-eight free flaps employed the EJ vein as the recipient vessel while 326 free flaps employed the IJ vein. Rates of acute and late complications were compared. There were no differences in rates of complications: flap loss, venous thrombosis, arterial thrombosis, bleeding, hematoma, or infection between the EJ and IJ vein groups. The external jugular vein as a recipient vessel for venous outflow in head and neck free flap reconstruction of postoncologic resection defects is a valid option for both primary reconstructions and secondary surgeries.