The British journal of oral & maxillofacial surgery
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Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg · Apr 2009
Early postoperative care for free flap head & neck reconstructive surgery--a national survey of practice.
There is considerable variation in the post-operative management of head and neck free flaps in the UK. We undertook a national postal survey of maxillofacial surgical units in the UK who perform free flap reconstruction following ablative head and neck surgery. Questions were asked about the routine postoperative care of a hypothetical, straightforward patient undergoing free flap reconstruction to determine whether there were any trends in managing these patients. ⋯ There was also variation in the management of these cases, particularly with the requirement for ventilation. Few units routinely use dextran or dobutamine infusions, although one-to-one nursing and invasive cardiovascular monitoring are commonplace. Alternative provision of postoperative care is discussed.