Utilidad de la monitorización de los colgajos microquirúrgicos

Abstract

AimTo evaluate Doppler probe to assure the flow through the anastomoses at free flaps used in head and neck surgery. Material and methodDescriptive prospective series, of every patient that receive a free flap reconstruction at Clinica Alemana between March 2013 and March 2015, in which a Doppler monitor (Coock® Swartz Doppler probe) on the arterial anastomoses was used. Results20 patients with free flaps were recorded. 10 radial flaps, 7 fibulas (4 with a skin paddle and 3 without), 2 antero lateral thigh flaps and 1 abdominis rectus flap. 6 reexplorations were done. In one case the suspicion was clinical, with change in the Doppler signal, 4 patients just clinical suspicion and 1 just because a change in the Doppler signal. The findings were flap edema in 1 patient and 5 hematomas. We didn’t loss any flap. The Doppler monitor was used for an average of 9.5 days. ConclusionThe Doppler monitor doesn’t replace the clinical observation but represents another tool for the decision making during the post operative period in this kind of head and neck reconstructions.