Objective: The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the efficacy of arterial coupling.
Study design: Retrospective data were collected in a consecutive series of 124 patients undergoing surgical resection of head and neck tumors followed by free tissue transfer (FTT).
Methods and measures: The Unilink coupling device was used to perform arterial and venous anastomosis. Flap survival and thrombosis of the arterial anastomoses were determined.
Results: A total of 124 consecutive patients underwent a total of 127 microvascular FTTs. Reconstruction included 90 radial forearm, 26 fibula, 9 rectus abdominis, and 2 iliac crest myocutaneous free flaps. There were four (3.2%) complications related to arterial insufficiency in our series, three of which were salvageable. There were three (2.4%) flap failures, resulting in an overall free flap survival rate of 97.6 percent.
Conclusion: The flap survival with the Unilink Microvascular Anastomotic System is similar to that of standard suture techniques. Use of a coupler device is the preferred method in performing microvascular FTT at our institution.