Colgajos libre micro-anastomozados en complicaciones isquémicas de “trauma flap”: Reporte de 3 casos del Hospital de Urgencias Asistencia Pública

Abstract

We report three patients with ischemic complications of myocutaneous flap after decompressive hemicraniectomies with “trauma flap”. These patients underwent surgery at the Public Assistance Emergency Hospital in Santiago, Chile between 2019 and 2020. A total of three micro-anastomosed free flaps operations were planned in collaboration with the plastic surgery team, with the goal of optimizing functional and aesthetic results. A variety of factors were analyzed and considered: surgical time, length of stay, flap donor site, early/late complications, and reoperations. The three patients had a good recovery, no immediate postoperative complications were observed. In the follow-up only one of them needed reoperation. In conclusion, micro-anastomosed free flaps surgeries are an important tool when treating patients suffering from flap ischemia after decompressive craniectomy. Collaboration between neurological and plastic surgery teams offers invaluable advantages when approaching this type of surgery.