Jaw reconstruction with vascularized fibular flap: The 11-year experience among 104 patients

BACKGROUND: A vascularized fibular osteomyocutaneous flap with severe vascular crisis often results in serious consequences. This study aims to examine the clinical effect of non-vascularized fibular graft on patients with severe vascular crisis after reconstruction of the defect jaw with vascularized fibular osteomyocutaneous flap. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From December 2007 to December 2018, a total of 104 patients with jaw neoplasms that underwent reconstruction with free vascularized fibular flap were retrospectively analyzed; seven of these cases had postoperative vascular crisis during mandibular reconstruction. RESULTS: Of the seven cases with postoperative vascular crisis, the vascularized fibular flaps in three patients survived completely, thanks to early detection; two cases were completely necrotic and removed in the end, and the remaining two cases had severe vascular crisis after the removal of the soft tissue attached to the fibular flap. The non-vascular fibular grafts were retained regardless of the severe absorption after follow-ups for 25 and 69 months, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: If vascular crisis occurs following jaw reconstruction with a vascularized fibular osteomyocutaneous flap, early re-surgical exploration effectively improves the salvage rate. In addition, when a severe vascular crisis occurs, the vascularized fibular flap can be changed to a non-vascular fibular graft to reconstruct the mandibular defect, thus avoiding the serious consequences resulting from the complete failure of fibular graft.