gms | German Medical Science

Introduction: Although, the success of free flaps has increased in the last years, more details about its characteristics might improve the clinical outcome of the flaps. The present study examined the thermoregulatory ability as a sign of neural re-innervation of two different types of microsurgical free flaps in the postoperative course.

Materials and methods: A total of 22 patients were examined after grafting two different flap types: The latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap (n=11) and the anterolateral thigh flap (n=11). Patients were examined six and nine months postoperatively. After exposure to cold and warm water (10°C and 35°C ) multiple measurements were carried out with the focus on blood velocity and flow using the “O2C” device.

Results: Both examined flaps showed a tendency for improvement in local blood flow and velocity due to thermal stress. We recorded a more physiological thermoregulation during thermal stress for the latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap when compared to the anterolateral thigh flap over a measured period of time.

Conclusion: We believe that the presence of the muscle portion in the latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap may offer better conditions for thermoregulation based on the improvement of neural and vascular regeneration. However further studies should clarify the pathophysiological backgrounds, to make these interesting results clinically applicable.

This Abstract has been accepted to the Journal of Microsurgery in 2011.