Archives of Craniofacial Surgery  2014;15(3):121-124

doi:10.7181/acfs.2014.15.3.121

Venous Occlusion Detected by Caregiver with Implantable Doppler in a Buried Free Flap.

Su Won HUR 1 ; Tae Gon KIM ; Jun Ho LEE ; Kyu Jin CHUNG ; Yong Ha KIM

Affiliations

+expand

Keywords

Free tissue flaps; Caregivers; Pulsed Doppler ultrasonography

Country

Republic of Korea

Language

English

Abstract

The use of the implantable Doppler device eases the burden of free flap monitoring, and allows caregivers to notify healthcare personnel of a potential vascular event. A 24-year-old female patient underwent anterolateral thigh adipofascial flap surgery to provide a buried flap on the left temporal area for a depressed and infected skull wound. The author was able to salvage the flap from two venous occlusions, which was made possible by early notifications from the caregiver who reported changes in the Doppler signal.