Free flaps in head and neck reconstruction after oncologic surgery : expected outcomes in the elderly

© American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation 2015..

OBJECTIVE: To provide surgeons and clinicians with a critical review of microvascular reconstructive options and their expected outcomes after head and neck cancer resection in the elderly.

DATA SOURCES: Medline, Isiweb, and Cochrane databases.

REVIEW METHODS: A literature search was performed in May 2014 and included studies published between 2000 and 2014. Keywords were used for articles identification, and inclusion criteria were defined for consideration in the present review.

CONCLUSIONS: Evaluation of the pertinent literature is hampered by a number of biases, such as a lack of general consensus of a definition of "elderly," differences among scales used to quantify comorbidities, and subjective evaluation of flap-related and systemic complications. However, our findings showed no differences in terms of free flap success, surgical complications, or mortality rate between older and younger patients. Moreover, recipient site complications do not seem to be affected by age.

IMPLICATION FOR PRACTICE: Microvascular reconstruction in the elderly can be performed with high success rates, even though medical complications can occur more frequently compared to younger patients. Minor and major surgical complications in the elderly appear to be comparable to those in the younger population and do not affect final outcome or the perioperative mortality rate. Flap outcome does not seem to be significantly affected by age. Careful preoperative assessment and postoperative monitoring are mandatory to prevent adverse events, and prompt management is warranted whenever present.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2015

Erschienen:

2015

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:152

Enthalten in:

Otolaryngology--head and neck surgery : official journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery - 152(2015), 5 vom: 14. Mai, Seite 796-802

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Grammatica, Alberto [VerfasserIn]
Piazza, Cesare [VerfasserIn]
Paderno, Alberto [VerfasserIn]
Taglietti, Valentina [VerfasserIn]
Marengoni, Alessandra [VerfasserIn]
Nicolai, Piero [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

Advanced age
Elderly
Free flaps
Free tissue transfer
Head and neck cancer
Journal Article
Microsurgery
Reconstruction
Review

Anmerkungen:

Date Completed 14.07.2015

Date Revised 07.12.2022

published: Print-Electronic

Citation Status MEDLINE

doi:

10.1177/0194599815576905

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM247538310