Kao HK

[BACKGROUND] Osteoradionecrosis (ORN) is a serious complication in oral cancer patients undergoing tumor excision and mandibular reconstruction, particularly after radiotherapy. This study compared a logistic regression-based nomogram with …

[BACKGROUND] Dysphagia is common in patients with oral cancer undergoing flap reconstruction surgery. Surgical resection and reconstruction can affect the sensory and motor functions associated with swallowing. Studies on dysphagia have not…

[BACKGROUNDS] Free flap reconstruction has become the standard of care in the repair of complex defects of the head and neck; however, surgical site infection remains a key area for improvement. This study aims to better understand the risk…

[INTRODUCTION] Recurrent head and neck cancer (HNC) after radiotherapy presents a reconstructive challenge. Whether pedicled or free flap reconstruction leads to better outcomes remains unclear. This review aims to assess the outcomes of pe…

[BACKGROUND]  Postoperative new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) has been shown to be associated with increased surgical morbidity and mortality following cancer ablation surgery. However, evidence of new-onset AF's impact on surgical outcome…

[INTRODUCTION] Risk factors for unfavorable outcomes, such as surgical site infection (SSI) and flap loss, following free flap reconstruction in patients with head and neck cancer are repeatedly reported without a definitive conclusion. Ins…

[BACKGROUND] Timing of oral feeding following head and neck mucosal free-flap reconstruction is a highly contentious issue. The typical 6-12 days "nil-by-mouth' primarily revolves around the concern for post-operative complications. Convers…

Osteoradionecrosis of the mandible refers to necrosis of bone and often with surrounding tissues after radiotherapy. This is often compounded by chronic infection, leading to debilitating outcomes on the patient's quality of life. In this a…

Developing several backup strategies for high-risk reconstruction cases is crucial to patient outcomes in head and neck cancer patients. Free tissue transfer always carries the risk of flap failure, and often, surgeons can be caught out wit…

Secondary reconstruction in head and neck cancer refers to surgical procedures performed following the initial primary reconstruction to address complications, residual defects, or recurrent or second primary tumors. The timing of secondary…

[BACKGROUND] Free flap monitoring is essential for postmicrosurgical management and outcomes but traditionally relies on human observers; the process is subjective and qualitative and imposes a heavy burden on staffing. To scientifically mo…

[BACKGROUND] Reconstruction of total or near-total nasal defects is challenging and requires the re-creation of three nasal layers. Fasciocutaneous free flaps have been used effectively for restoring the vascularized nasal lining and staged…

[BACKGROUND] Traditionally, radial forearm free flaps are utilized for nasal lining reconstruction when local flaps cannot provide adequate coverage. However, according to our clinical observation, the skin of the forearm flap is relatively…

[BACKGROUND] Postoperative free flap monitoring is a critical part of reconstructive microsurgery. Postoperative clinical assessments rely heavily on specialty-trained staff. Therefore, in regions with limited specialist availability, the f…

[BACKGROUND] Dexamethasone (Dexa) is frequently administrated to patients receiving head and neck microsurgical reconstruction with nasotracheal intubation postoperatively for airway control. Infection is the greatest concern when prolongin…

[BACKGROUND] The medial sural artery perforator flap is a versatile option in reconstructive microsurgery. However, most reports of this flap have been limited by sample size. This study reviews the experience of a single large-volume cente…