Head and neck reconstruction with anterolateral thigh flap.

Abstract

Our goal was to present our experience with the free anterolateral thigh flap for reconstruction of various cutaneous and mucosal defects of the head and neck. We conducted a retrospective review of 37 patients who underwent reconstruction between 1994 and 2002. Outcome measures included ethnicity, flap harvest technique, vascular anatomy, flap success, general surgical complications, and donor site morbidity. The majority of our patients were white (n = 33). The size of the 39 free anterolateral thigh flaps varied from 24 to 252 cm(2). There was 1 arterial failure and flap loss (2.6%) and 2 venous occlusions that were both salvaged. The donor site was closed primarily in 37 cases and with a split-thickness skin graft in 2 cases. This is the first report on using the free anterolateral thigh flap in whites. This free transfer has proved to be a versatile and reliable flap for reconstruction of the head and neck.