ABSTRACT
Before the introduction of free tissue transfer, pedicled flaps served as the primary source of tissue for head and neck reconstruction. Since the introduction of microvascular surgery, free flap reconstruction has come to play a dominant role in head and neck reconstruction. Because free flaps offer the opportunity to reliably transfer vascularized skin, muscle, or bone from distant sites to the head and neck region, we are more commonly faced with the question of what the role of pedicled flaps in contemporary head and neck reconstruction is. The following is a brief review of the evolution of head and neck reconstruction with an emphasis on the role of pedicled flap reconstruction in an age dominated by microvascular surgery.
KEYWORDS
Pedicled flap - microvascular free flap - reconstruction
