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- Title
Case of late‐onset, relapsing surgical site infection related to a venous coupler placed during free flap reconstruction for major head and neck cancer.
- Authors
Ren, Yin; Deschler, Daniel G.; Sajed, Dipti; Durand, Marlene L.
- Abstract
Abstract: Background: Venous coupling devices are widely used during reconstructive surgery involving microvascular anastomosis but have not served as foreign bodies in head and neck surgical site infections. Methods: We conducted a case report. Results: A patient underwent resection and free flap reconstruction for recurrent tongue squamous cell carcinoma. She developed a neck abscess due to <italic>Streptococcus intermedius</italic> 7 weeks postoperatively, days after starting chemoradiotherapy. The surgical site infection healed with drainage and antibiotics. Two surgical site infection relapses due to <italic>S. intermedius</italic> occurred 3 and 8 weeks after completing radiation, the second relapse after a prolonged course of i.v. antibiotics. Surgical exploration revealed a venous coupler within granulation tissue. The device was removed and no further surgical site infection relapses occurred. Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a delayed‐onset head and neck surgical site infection in which a venous coupler served as a foreign body. An infected foreign body should be suspected in relapsing surgical site infections due to a single organism.
- Subjects
COUPLING reactions (Chemistry); SURGICAL complications; SURGICAL excision; SQUAMOUS cell carcinoma; INFECTION; PLASTIC surgery
- Publication
Head & Neck, 2018, Vol 40, Issue 4, pE29
- ISSN
1043-3074
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1002/hed.25043