Management of local complications after head and neck reconstruction

The goals of head and neck reconstruction after malignant tumor resection include obtaining good postoperative function and appearance and minimizing operative invasiveness. However, the most important goals are reducing local postoperative complications and discharging the patient early, because patients requiring head and neck reconstruction tend to have poorer prognoses. Local complications delay wound healing, postoperative treatment, and postoperative recovery of eating and speech functions. Thus, when shown to be necessary by clinical observation and imaging findings, we open the wound area promptly and attempt to diagnose the complication. In this way, we can discover cervical infections and minimize wound contamination before more serious complications, such as total flap necrosis, develop. We review measures for preventing local complications in patients undergoing head and neck reconstruction at our institution and divide them into preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative measures.