[Microvascular tissue transplantation in plastic reconstruction of the external head-neck area]

Free tissue transfer is under certain circumstances an ideal reconstructive method for skin and soft tissue defects of the head and neck region. These are multilayer, large defects, recurrences after previous reconstructive methods, in cases of aesthetic disturbances due to local flaps, in difficult reconstructive areas due to chronic infection and radiotherapy and if local tissue is not available. From 1987 to 1993 we performed 30 reconstructions of the surface of the head and neck region with free flaps, mainly the forearm flap and the scapular flap. But also the latissimus dorsi flap and in one case the rectus abdominis flap were used. There was no flap failure. In only one case of a forearm flap we saw a delayed healing of the donor defect. There was no functional impairment of the donor defect. All cosmetical results were acceptable. Flaps from the trunk mainly showed considerable differences in colour and texture to the surrounding skin.