Secondary Adjuvant Operation after Free Flap for Functional and Aesthetic Purposes

Ahn,  Hee Chang; Yang,  Eun Zin; Kim,  Chang Yeon

doi:2010.19.2.101

Arch Hand Microsurg > Volume 19(2); 2010 > Article

Original Article

Journal of the Korean Society for Surgery of the Hand 2010;19(2):101-107.
Published online November 30, 2010.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12790/jkssh.2010.19.2.101

Secondary Adjuvant Operation after Free Flap for Functional and Aesthetic Purposes

Hee Chang Ahn, M.D., Ph.D., Eun Zin Yang, M.D., Chang Yeon Kim, M.D., Ph.D.

Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea. ahnhc@hanyang.ac.kr

유리 피판술 후 기능적, 미용적 목적을 위한 2차 보완수술

, ,

Abstract

Purpose: The free flap has been widely used as one stage reconstructive procedure the skin and soft tissue defect. The secondary adjuvant operations are often needed for better results as functional and aesthetic compartment. Therefore, we focus on the secondary adjuvant surgeries for better outcome after free flaps.
Methods: One hundred ninety six consecutive patients underwent free flaps between January, 2002 and February 2009. The cases constituted ninety two male patients and one hundred four female patients. For the patients who got free flap operation, we investigated secondary adjuvant operations what type of procedures was applied according to the reconstructed sites. All clinical data were based on the patient’s medical records.
Results: Of one hundred ninety six patients in whom free flap was performed, a total of eighty two patients(41.8%) received the secondary adjuvant operation. Because of many patients got multiple secondary adjuvant operations, the number of the secondary adjuvant operation become one hundred fifty five cases. The most common used procedure is a liposuction, and the second one is a lipoinjection.
Conclusion: As the secondary adjuvant operation like a liposuction, lipoinjection, etc., satisfaction for operative result was increased in the aspects of function and aesthetics. So the secondary adjuvant operation in free flap surgeries contributed in raising the patient’s quality of life.

Key Words: Secondary adjuvant operation