Free flap surgery at a Medical Centre in Kashmir: a five year experience

Abstract

Introduction: Free Flap surgery is an advanced method of wound reconstruction mostly performed in centers with advanced and costly instrumentation. However, the Indian region of Kashmir is economically
poor and this surgery was introduced there in 1998. The aim of conducting this study was to analyze the first five years of free flap transfer in Kashmir to find out if free flap surgeries can be successfully conducted in less ideal circumstances.
Method & Materials: All the cases in which free flaps were transferred from 1998 to 2002 at Department Of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Sheri Kashmir (SK) Institute of Medical Sciences, Kashmir, India were
studied retrospectively.
Results:. Seventy eight free flaps were transferred for wounds created as a result of varying etiologies over the period of five years with a success rate of 82% .This success rate showed a steady improvement from
57% to 91% over the period along with progressive decrease in operating time. Donor site complications were seen in 23% cases.
Conclusion: Free flap surgery can be practiced safely and successfully in the developing world as is evident from the experience of Kashmir valley.

Keywords: Free flap, microsurgery, flap necrosis, ischaemic time