Summary
The supraclavicular island flap (SCIF) is an interesting therapeutic option in head
and neck reconstruction. Since popularized by Pallua in the late 90s, several clinical
series have been published showing its versatility and usefulness. However, only a
few studies have focused on factors associated with complications from SCIF use. In
this study, we analyzed the factors contributing to SCIF unreliability. We performed
a retrospective review of the data of 87 patients undergoing SCIF reconstruction between
2008 and 2015. No significant differences in mean complication rates were observed
when the SCIF was used for primary or salvage reconstruction (28% versus 25%, respectively, p = 0.816) or for cutaneous or intraoral reconstruction (27% versus 28%, respectively, p = 0.932). Flap folding, preoperative radiotherapy, and microsurgery were associated
with significantly increased complication rates (p = 0.002, p = 0.043, and p = 0.001, respectively), whereas smoking (p = 0.431) had no impact with regard to this. In conclusion, the SCIF is a versatile
flap and an important therapeutic tool for use in salvage surgeries, particularly
in those performed in patients with poor clinical conditions and limited flap options.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: January 07, 2019
Accepted:
December 21,
2018
Received in revised form:
June 8,
2018
Received:
July 8,
2017
Identification
Copyright
© 2019 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
