LASER DOPPLER MONITORING OF FREE MICROVASCULAR FLAPS IN MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY

In free microvascular flap transplantation, reliable postoperative monitoring is necessary to indicate the necessity for early re-exploration in the event of decreased blood supply. In this study the positive evidence of laser Doppler monitoring of free flaps was investigated in 28 cases. Myocutaneous, osteomyocutaneous and small intestine flaps were measured. The laser Doppler flowmetry values ranged within a wide band and were relative to the different tissues measured, and the patients. It was not possible to define a reliable inferior limit for the various tissues. Only the assessment of the development of the values was interesting. Flaps with high measured laser Doppler flowmetry values were successful, flaps with decreasing values showed problems. The most important tool for the surgeon is his clinical experience, but laser Doppler monitoring in flap transplantation can be helpful to the surgeon.