2012 Volume 5 Issue 1 Pages 9-13
Malignancies in the head and neck region requires multidiscipl inary treatment and collaboration among head and neck surgery, neurosurgery, an d plastic and reconstructive surgery, as well as oral surgery, pediatrics, rehabilitation, and psychiatry. Head and neck reconstruction in children with the use of a free flap is characterized by small, short blood vessels, a relatively large head, and the need for consideration of disruption of growth disturbance at the donor site of the fla p. The perforator flap has less donor site morbidity and is very useful in children. H owever, children have smaller vessels than adults, requiring supermicrosurgical techniques. Learning of supermicrosurgical techniques should have an important role in increasing the options in free flap transfer in children.
