Secondary Adjuvant Operation after Free Flap for Functional and Aesthetic Purposes

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.