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Anticoagulants, therapeutic use; Austria; Bone Plates; Data Collection; Dental Service, Hospital, statistics & numerical data; Free Tissue Flaps, blood supply; Frozen Sections; Germany; Head and Neck Neoplasms, surgery; Humans; Microsurgery, statistics & numerical data; Perioperative Care; Practice Patterns, Dentists', statistics & numerical data; Practice Patterns, Physicians', statistics & numerical data; Plastic Surgery Procedures, statistics & numerical data; Surgery Department, Hospital, statistics & numerical data; Surgery, Plastic, statistics & numerical data; Surveys and Questionnaires; Switzerland
Abstract
Refinement in microvascular reconstructive techniques over the last 30 years has enabled an increasing number of patients to be rehabilitated for both functional and aesthetic reasons. The purpose of this study was to evaluate different microsurgical practice, including perioperative management, in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The D`OSAK collaborative group for Microsurgical Reconstruction developed a detailed questionnaire which was circulated to units in the three countries. The current practice of the departments was evaluated. Thirty-eight questionnaires were completed resulting in a 47.5% response rate. A considerable variation in the number of microsurgical reconstructions per year was noted. In relation to the timing of bony reconstruction, 10 hospitals did reconstructions primarily (26.3%), 19 secondarily (50%) and 9 (23.7%) hospitals used both concepts. In the postoperative course, 15.8% of hospitals use inhibitors of platelet aggregation, most hospitals use low molecular heparin (52.6%) or other heparin products (44.7%). This survey shows variation in the performance, management, and care of microsurgical reconstructions of patients. This is due in part to the microvascular surgeons available in the unit but it is also due to different types of hospitals where various types of care can be performed in these patients needing special perioperative care. textcopyright 2010 European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery.
