Autologous Arteriovenous Loop Graft Creation for Head and Neck Microsurgical Reconstruction: A Pictorial Essay.

[BACKGROUND] The arteriovenous (AV) loop is a versatile and reliable technique for establishing vascular access in head and neck free tissue reconstruction. This method is particularly advantageous in complex cases where conventional vascular access may be challenging.

[METHODS AND RESULTS] In this pictorial essay, we present the pre-operative planning and patient selection factors for creating AV loops, and artist-illustrated drawings detailing our intraoperative technique. This work provides the surgeon a guide to perform and understand the procedure of harvesting a vein graft, creating a loop, and appropriately positioning it in preparation for microsurgical repair.

[CONCLUSION] The AV loop technique yields a reliable conduit, and its flexibility allows for complex free-flap reconstructions in challenging scenarios where vessels are not locally available or in situations where vessel length is inadequate.