Background: The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of bone harvest length and multiple osteotomies on osteocutaneous radial forearm free flap (RFFF) complication rates.
Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted for patients undergoing osteocutaneous RFFF reconstruction during an 8-year period.
Results: One hundred fifty-five osteocutaneous RFFF procedures were performed. Recipient-site flap complications were 18 of 55 (32.7%) when bone harvest length was less than 7 cm and 40 of 100 (40.0%) when it was ≥7 cm. No osteotomies were performed in 69 of 155 cases with a corresponding complication rate of 30.4% (21 of 69). One osteotomy was utilized in 69 of 155 flaps, whereas 17 of 155 required more than 1 osteotomy; complications were experienced in 42% (29 of 69) and 47% (8 of 17) of these cases, respectively.
Conclusion: Osteocutaneous RFFF complication rates were only slightly higher when the bone length was ≥7 cm or when multiple osteotomies were required.
Keywords: bone length; complications; mandible reconstruction; osteocutaneous radial forearm free flap (RFFF); osteotomies.
© 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.