Utility of "open-Y" XXXX technique in the use of superior thyroid artery as recipient vessel for head and neck reconstruction with free flap.

@entity1 @entity39 @entity254 @entity49 @entity281 @entity1410 @entity292
BACKGROUND: The superior thyroid artery (STA) is the most commonly used recipient vessel in free tissue transfer for head and neck reconstruction. Size discrepancy between recipient and donor vessels might affect the patency rate. The objective of this study was to compare the outcomes of the "open-Y" technique in end-to-end anastomoses between the STA and donor arteries to those of conventional anastomoses to the STA. @entity1 AND METHODS: A total of 337 @entity1 with free tissue transfer for head and neck reconstruction with the STA as the recipient artery were recruited between September 2011 and August 2013. The "open-Y" technique of @entity254 was used in 72 cases, whereas the conventional technique was applied in 256 cases. The arterial anastomotic site-related complications and size discrepancy rates of both groups were evaluated and compared. RESULTS: The flap success rate was 98.6% (71/72) in the "open-Y" group, which was similar to the conventional group [97.4% (245/252); P   =   0.999]. Size discrepancy rate was higher in the "open-Y" group [48/72(66.7%)] compared to that in the conventional group [31/265(11.7%), P   <   0.001]. There was no significant difference regarding arterial anastomotic site-related complications between the "open-Y" and conventional groups (1.4% vs.4.2%; P   =   0.473). Others complications, including re-exploration, @entity49 , @entity1410 , @entity292 , @entity281 , partial flap @entity39 and @entity39 , had similar presentations. CONCLUSION: The utility of the "open-Y" technique, applied to STA as a recipient vessel, appeared to be a reasonable option for head and neck reconstruction. This technique seems to be promising for cases with vessels size discrepancy.    2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microsurgery, 2015.
