Ablative tumor surgery of the head and neck region often results in severe cosmetic and functional deformities. In these cases, microvascular free-tissue transfer enables three-dimensional reconstruction of head and neck defects. The selection of adequate donor tissue and a profound knowledge of the human anatomy and the various harvesting techniques are paramount in ensuring successful reconstruction.

Reflecting current surgical approaches, this book presents the most frequently used flaps in head and neck surgery, including detailed overviews as well as their respective pearls and pitfalls. Moreover,  each section contains a synopsis and pre-operative checklist.

The overlay-technique merges high-quality-photographs with drawings and precisely illustrates the step-to-step descriptions of the different flap harvesting techniques, making this manual in pocket size an unique and accessible reference for both doctors in training and specialists in the field of otolaryngology, head and neck, plastic, maxillofacial and skull base surgery.

Boban M. Erovic studied Medicine at the University of Vienna and finished his residency at the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, at the Medical University of Vienna in 2007. He earned his PhD degree in 2006. He finished his 2-years fellowship in microvascular reconstruction at the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Toronto in 2011. Since 2013 he is Associate Professor at the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery at the Medical University of Vienna.

Piero Lercher studied Medicine in Vienna (Austria) and Bologna (Italy), trained in sports and environmental medicine with particular interest in preventive medicine and Public Health. He is lector, member of the working group on principles of teaching and director of the course Master of Public Health at the Medical University of Vienna. Piero Lercher is author of a huge number of publications and textbooks and editor in chief of the journal Sport- und Präventivmedizin. His cartoons, drawings and illustrations have been published in various international newspapers and magazines, but also on T-Shirts, posters and CD-Covers.

Part I: Introduction.- 1. History of microvascular surgery.- 2. Selection of flaps.- 3. Classification of flaps.- 4. Preoperative considerations.- 5. Intraoperative considerations.- 6. Arterial anastomosis.- 7. Venous anastomosis.- 8. Postoperative care.- 9. Timetable of homeostasis.- 10. Flap surveillance protocol.- 11. No patency and flap salvage options.- 12. Skin graft harvest.- 13. Full-thickness skin graft.- 14. Harvesting vein grafts.- 15. Sural nerve grafts.- 16. Harvest of rib cartilage.- Part II: Regional Flaps.- 17. Paramedian flap.- 18. Buccal flap.- 19. Palatal island flap.- 20. Facial artery musculomucosal flap.- 21. Sternocleidomastoid flap.- 22. Supraclavicular artery flap.- 23. Deltopectoral flap.- 24. Pectoralis major flap.- Part III: Free flaps.- 25. Tempoparietal fascia free flap.- 26. Scapula/parascapula free flap.- 27. Latissimus dorsi free flap.- 28. Radial forearm free flap.- 29. Tensor fascia lata free flap.- 30. Anterolateral thigh flap.- 31. Fibula free flap.