Purpose: The use of externalized jejunal monitoring flaps for jejunum transfers could be facilitative for the direct clinical assessment. Although this monitoring method would seem to be highly reliable, we modified this method and used mesentery only as a monitor to make it easy to manage the monitor more.
Methods: Between 2013 and 2018, 43 patients underwent vascularized jejunum transfer for reconstruction of laryngopharyngectomy using the externalized mesentery monitor. There were 39 men and 4 women, and patient ages ranged from 40 to 80 years (average, 66.6 years). The nursing staff monitored the externalized mesentery by using handheld Doppler ultrasonography every 2 hours for 7 days after surgery.
Results: Three patients had rather weak signal of handheld Doppler ultrasonography on the externalized mesentery monitors during operation, and handheld Doppler ultrasonography could not be applied. Of the remaining 40 patients using the externalized mesentery monitor with handheld Doppler ultrasonography, 39 had an uncomplicated postoperative period. In 1 patient, no signal of Doppler ultrasonography and lack of bleeding by pin prick from the monitor segment were noted in the immediate postoperative period, and revision of the vascular anastomosis was performed. Finally, the graft was salvaged. There was no case of infection in the monitoring flap or hypertrophic scar at the resected part of the flap.
Conclusions: Using the externalized mesentery monitoring flaps, clinical monitoring by examining the exteriorized monitoring flap is possible, and only mesentery monitors were managed easily compared with jejunum monitoring flaps.