Clinical & Medical Case Reports

Introduction: Late flap failure is a rare occurrence in reconstruction surgery. The most common cause of failure is due to vascular injury. We examine two cases where a communication between the tracheotomy and neck dissection potentially led to late flap failure.

 

Method: Medical records were examined of two patients who experienced late flap failure with tracheostomy.

 

Discussion: A literature review was performed showing the main aetiology of late flap failure. The cases were discussed with learning points from the flap failure including ensuring the two dissections do not communicate.

 

Conclusion: Tracheotomies need to be identified as a potential source of flap

failure. Swift removal as clinically able as well as ensuring dissections are separate is the crux to avoiding late flap failure.