ABSTRACT
Microvascular flap reconstructions of facial and mandibular defects are achieving
increasingly widespread application and, as a result, more patients are considered
for such procedures after large tumors, congenital abnormalities, previous surgery
(including failed and successful microsurgical procedures), and radiation have compromised
potential recipient vessels on the side of the defect. In three such cases, contralateral
facial vessels with vein grafts have been used to provide flap-recipient vessels.
Each flap was successful. Cross-facial vein grafting is a relatively simple solution
for utilizing undamaged vessels as recipient pedicles in complicated flap reconstructions
of the face and mandible.
