Head and neck reconstruction with microvascular tissue transfer and its surgical indications: our experiences. A review.

Microvascular tissue transfer has facilitated the primary closure of various complex defects after radical ablation of head and neck cancers. Recently, we have begun to use the forearm flap, osteocutaneous scapular flap, rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap, latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap and jejunal autografts for reconstruction of the head and neck region following cancer ablation and have recognized further evidence of the versatility of free grafts. In this paper, we describe the results of 69 cases between 1987 and 1991 and the operative indication for microvascular tissue transfer in the head and neck region.