MICROVASCULAR RECONSTRUCTION OF COMPLEX CRANIOFACIAL DEFECTS

Many large vault or skull base tumours are best treated by wide surgic al excision and primary reconstruction using a microvascular free tiss ue transfer (free flap). We report 23 patients who were reconstructed using free flaps, eight having been previously treated surgically else where and seven of whom had recurrent disease after radiotherapy. Ther e was one flap failure and a local recurrence rate of 16% (3/19). The outcome at a mean follow-up period of 29 months, was 19 patients alive and four deaths.