Head and Neck Free-Flap Reconstruction in Patients With Pre-Existing Coagulopathies: A Case Series

Patients with inherited coagulopathies-including thrombophilias-undergoing microvascular reconstruction face elevated thrombotic risk, yet optimal perioperative strategies remain undefined. This retrospective case series evaluates perioperative outcomes in patients with confirmed inherited coagulopathies who underwent head and neck free flap reconstruction at a single tertiary academic center between April 2014 and October 2024. Fifteen patients met the inclusion criteria (53.3% female; median age 59 years). The most common coagulopathies were sickle cell trait (40.0%) and Factor V Leiden (26.7%). All patients received preoperative anticoagulation: 60.0% received subcutaneous (SC) unfractionated heparin (UFH), 33.3% enoxaparin, and 6.7% fondaparinux. Intraoperative anticoagulation was used in 20.0% of cases, primarily enoxaparin. Postoperative anticoagulation included SC UFH or low-molecular-weight heparin in 86.7% of patients, with 33.3% also receiving aspirin and 20.0% transitioning to direct oral anticoagulants. Two patients (13.3%) experienced flap loss due to thrombosis; neither received intraoperative anticoagulation. No major bleeding events occurred. Transfusions were required in 40.0% postoperatively and 20.0% intraoperatively. These findings underscore the need for targeted screening, multidisciplinary coordination, and individualized anticoagulation regimens to mitigate thrombotic complications in this high-risk population. Further prospective studies are warranted to develop standardized perioperative protocols and optimize microsurgical outcomes in patients with inherited coagulopathies, including hypercoagulable states.

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A retrospective case series of 15 head and neck free flap patients with inherited coagulopathies, most commonly sickle cell trait and Factor V Leiden, found two flap losses from thrombosis, both in patients without intraoperative anticoagulation, and no major bleeding events.

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