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ePlasty: Vol. 20
Use of Cephalic Vein for Venous Anastomosis in Head and Neck Reconstruction: A Case Series
Mohammad Fazlur Rahman, MBBS, FCPS,a Muhammad Asif Ahsan, MBBS, MRCPS, FCPS,b Safdar Ali Shaikh, MBBS, FCPS,a Muhammad Ubaid Khan, MBBS, FCPS,a and Sami ullah, MBBS, FCPSc

aDepartment of Plastic Surgery, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan; bDepartment of Plastic Surgery, Cancer Foundation Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan; and cShaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Correspondence: Fazli.rahman@aku.edu
Keywords: head and neck, free flaps, cephalic vein, recipient, venous anastomosis

Purpose: To describe the use of the cephalic vein as a recipient vessel for venous outflow in head and neck reconstruction. The cephalic vein is used as a vessel in cases where there is a paucity of veins in the neck. This may be due to previous surgery, previous radiation therapy, or advanced cancer. The cephalic vein may also be used to salvage a failing free flap. Methods: It is a retrospective review of 230 free flaps that had been used in head and neck reconstruction performed from July 2014 to July 2018 by a single surgeon. Results: There were 6 patients in whom the cephalic vein was used as a recipient vessel.  .......