Aim:
To review the different indications for free flap reconstruction in Middlemore Hospital and to analyse the rates of complications occurred following different types of free flap reconstruction.
Methods:
Data was collected from 291 patients who underwent a total of 320 free flaps from June 2008 to June 2015. RESULTS: Microvascular breast reconstruction is the most common performed procedure (50%). This is followed by free flap reconstruction post trauma (30.6%), head and neck tumour resection (9.7%), extremity tumour resection (4.1%), burn reconstruction (2.5%), debridement of infection (1.9%) and craniofacial reconstruction (1.25%). The rate of overall total flap loss is 4.1%, mainly contributed by trauma reconstruction. Microvascular exploration was needed in 6.25% of the cases. The combined complications that require patients to return to theatre is highest among the infection group (50%) due to recipient wound healing problems. The rate of recipient site haematoma is highest with the group of patient underwent reconstruction post extremity tumour resection (15.4%).
Conclusion:
The study reveals that different type of reconstruction has its distinct sets of challenges. The complication rate of free flap reconstruction in Middlemore Hospital is comparable to other centres.