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| ORIGINAL ARTICLE |
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| Year : 2020 | Volume
: 34
| Issue : 2 | Page : 106-110 |
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Role of flap blood glucose measurement in monitoring of flap incorporating skin and to detect flap congestion and flap salvage
Amit Kumar Choudhary, Akoijam Ibohal Singh, Saugat Ibohal Das, Laishram Oken Singh, Nepram Sanjib Singh
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal, Manipur, India
| Date of Submission | 08-Dec-2020 |
| Date of Acceptance | 09-Dec-2020 |
| Date of Web Publication | 25-Jan-2021 |
Correspondence Address:
Akoijam Ibohal Singh
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal, Manipur
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/jms.jms_127_20
Background: Flap surgery has become a reliable method of reconstruction of postsurgical and posttraumatic defects almost over any part of the body with vascularized tissue. Complications associated with flap surgeries may lead to partial or total flap failure. Scrupulous postoperative flap monitoring allows early detection of flap failure which is the only evidence-based strategy for optimizing free flap salvage. There are various methods available for flap monitoring. Classical clinical observation of the flap requires clinical expertise. Microdialysis is a method that measures certain metabolites like glucose, lactate, etc., levels in the flap blood which is objective, reliable, and reproducible method. Based on the principles of microdialysis, monitoring of capillary glucose levels in flaps using glucometer is being proposed as a cheap, rapid, and simple method for the early prediction of microvascular complications and thereby reducing flap failure.
Aims: The aim was to study blood glucose levels in flaps incorporating skin in comparison to control site to correlate flap blood glucose level with clinical changes in these flaps.
Settings and Design: A hospital-based observational study was conducted on twenty patients operated for reconstruction with flaps in a tertiary hospital setup in Manipur during the period of December 2017 to November 2019.
Statistical Analysis: The data were analyzed with IBM SPSS statistics 21 developers. Descriptive statistics mean were used for statistical analysis and paired t-test for quantitative data. P < 0.05 will be taken as statistically significant.
Results: Out of total twenty patients studied, 10 patients (50%) were in the age group of 30–50 years. Total 14 flaps (70%) were pedicled and 6 (30%) were free flaps. Total 4 flaps (20%) had complications (venous thrombosis) in the first 24 h, three flaps were pedicled and one flap was free flap. Flap capillary glucose level drops when there was venous thrombosis otherwise flap capillary glucose level fluctuates according to capillary blood glucose level of control area.
Conclusions: The measurement of free flap capillary glycemia may be used as a method of diagnosis of complications which is a simple and rapid method of flap monitoring. It can help in flap salvage but it is not superior to clinical evaluation by an experienced professional for the detection of venous thrombosis.
Keywords: Blood glucose, flap surgery, microdialysis
How to cite this article:
Choudhary AK, Singh AI, Das SI, Singh LO, Singh NS. Role of flap blood glucose measurement in monitoring of flap incorporating skin and to detect flap congestion and flap salvage. J Med Soc 2020;34:106-10 |
How to cite this URL:
Choudhary AK, Singh AI, Das SI, Singh LO, Singh NS. Role of flap blood glucose measurement in monitoring of flap incorporating skin and to detect flap congestion and flap salvage. J Med Soc [serial online] 2020 [cited 2021 Mar 2];34:106-10. Available from: https://www.jmedsoc.org/text.asp?2020/34/2/106/307893 |
| Introduction | |  |
Flap surgery has become a reliable method of reconstruction. It allows repair of postsurgical and posttraumatic defects almost over any part of the body with vascularized tissue.[1] Complications associated with free flap surgeries include venous and arterial thrombosis, hematoma, wound infection, flap dehiscence, fistula formation, etc., which may lead to partial or total flap failure.[2],[3],[4] Failure rates of free flap surgeries usually range from 2% to 5% in high volume centers but may be more in low volume/less experienced centers performing microvascular surgeries.[5],[6],[7]
Vascular compromise (venous>arterial) is the most common cause for flap loss.[2],[5],[7],[8] Scrupulous postoperative flap monitoring allows early detection of flap failure which is the only evidence-based strategy for optimizing free flap salvage.[9],[10] The rate of flap salvage declines as the duration of the time period from the occurrence of the complication to its detection increases.[11]
There are various methods available for flap monitoring.[12] Classically, post-operative vascular perfusion is assessed by clinical observation of the flap which includes the color, temperature, turgor, capillary refill, and pinprick/dermal scratch test. The interpretation of the clinical findings requires clinical expertise.[13] Microdialysis is a method that measures certain metabolites like glucose, lactate, etc., levels in the flap blood. It is a more objective, reliable, and reproducible method documented in the literature for postoperative monitoring of free flaps but requires much more technical expertise and resources.[14],[15]
Based on the principles of microdialysis, monitoring of capillary glucose levels in free flaps using glucometer is being proposed as a cheap, rapid, and simple method for the early prediction of microvascular complications and thereby reducing flap failure.[16]
| Materials and Methods | | |
This hospital-based observational study was conducted on twenty patients operated for reconstruction with flap in a tertiary hospital setup in Manipur during the period of December 2017–November 2019. Inclusion criteria were: (a) age between 15 and 60 years (b) all flaps incorporating skin used in reconstruction purpose. Exclusion criteria were (a) age <15 years and >60 years (b) Comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus, chronic smoker, patients of vasculitis, or any other vasculopathy.
Data were collected from patients operated for reconstruction with flaps incorporating skin. A detailed history and physical examination findings, preoperative parameters and details of treatment were recorded. Intraoperative parameters recorded include operation time, blood loss during surgery, local flap or free flap, postoperative parameters, and blood pressure were recorded.
Technique of flap glucose monitoring
Flap blood glucose levels were measured at scheduled times by glucometer. Samples are taken in immediate postoperative period then after 1, 6, 24, 48, and 72 h after operation. At the same time blood glucose levels measured from adjacent normal skin (control site). Capillary blood samples are taken by the pinprick method at the distal most part of the flap. In addition to blood glucose assessment, simultaneous clinical findings of skin color changes have been noted to assess the viability of the flap [Figure 1], [Figure 2], [Figure 3].
Statistics analysis
The data collected were entered in a data-based program, namely, IBM SPSS version 21, IBM, New York, USA developer. Descriptive statistics mean were used for statistical analysis and paired t-test for quantitative data. P < 0.05 will be taken as statistically significant.
Ethical issues
The study was carried out after obtaining approval from the Research Ethics Board (REB), Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal, Manipur.
| Results | | |
Out of total 20 patients studied, 10 patients (50%) were in the age group 30-50 years, 2 patients (10%) had a history of tobacco consumption. Total 14 flaps (70%) were pedicled and 6 (30%) were free flaps. Total 4 flaps (20%) had complications (venous thrombosis) in the first 24 h, three flaps were pedicled and one flap was free flap [Table 1] and [Table 2].
Out of twenty flaps, four flaps had fall in capillary blood glucose level as compared to control site in the first 6–24 h of surgery, later these flaps change in color and became darker in as compared to normal skin of patient and other physical signs of flap necrosis also developed [Figure 4].
Out of twenty flaps, 16 flaps had almost similar capillary blood glucose level compared to control site and these flaps did not have any color changes and other physical signs of flap necrosis [Figure 5].
Above shown graph illustrates the flap capillary glycemia of patients with and without complications, respectively. Flap capillary glucose level drops when there was venous thrombosis otherwise flap capillary glucose level fluctuates according to the capillary blood glucose level of the control area.
From the above [Table 1], it is seen that the flap glucose level compared to control is dropping in those flaps which did not survive while those which survived showed the normal flap glucose level as per control, and this relationship was found to be significant [Table 3].
Because of the limited number of patients with complications, it was not possible to determine a flap glycemia value that was indicative of venous thrombosis.
Moreover, it is possible to determine flap complication by measurement of capillary glycemia before clinical diagnosis of thrombosis would identify but decision of reexploration based on only capillary blood glucose level of the flap is not justifiable.
| Discussion | | |
Monitoring the flap after surgery is of vital importance, for flap survival, especially during the first few hours, because the timing of reoperation may determine flap salvage or loss. Surgeons experienced in microsurgery usually monitor these flaps. However, these highly specialized professionals may not be available in all hospitals. Therefore, the use of an objective measurement technique can reduce the need for human resources, thereby reducing cost.
Flap glycemia has been studied as a diagnostic method for venous thrombosis by other authors, but larger data series are needed to determine the exact value that is indicative of thrombosis.
We monitored the flaps by measuring blood glucose levels using Medtronic glucometer [Figure 1] which is routinely used for regular capillary blood glucose measurements. The procedure is rapid and simple and requires only minimal amounts of blood (10–20 μL). Furthermore, this method is more quantitative than the traditional ways of flap monitoring, such as observing flap color, flap turgor, or the pinprick test. It provides a surrogate reflection of the adequacy of flap perfusion and allows objective comparisons between tests. On the contrary, the needle prick test only yields subjective information on flap perfusion. We performed Blood glucose monitoring (BGM) immediate postoperative period then 1, 6, 24, 48, and 72 h after operation. The mechanism of reduction in blood glucose levels in congested flaps has not been elucidated. Sakakibara et al. hypothesized that in venous thrombosis, flap blood glucose concentration is reduced due to continual uptake of glucose from the stagnated blood for tissue metabolism. Several studies showed that blood glucose is also reduced with ischemia and that this reduction is more rapid and extensive than that associated with congestion [Figure 4].
The present study confirms that there is a decrease in capillary glycemia in flaps with venous thrombosis; however, evaluation of this parameter did not enable earlier detection of complications [Figure 5].
Moreover, all complications were venous thrombosis. Other complications such as hematomas did not occur, and possibly cannot be detected using capillary blood glucose measurements. Therefore, evaluation by a professional experienced in postoperative changes in flap condition is still highly recommended.
| Conclusions | | |
The measurement of free flap capillary glycemia may use as method of diagnosis of complication, but it is not superior to clinical evaluation by an experienced professional for the detection of venous thrombosis.
A limitation of the blood glucose monitoring is that this method cannot be used for buried flap and multiple pinpricks required from small flap it may damage it.
Financial support and sponsorship
Nil.
Conflicts of interest
There are no conflicts of interest.
| References | | |
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[Figure 1], [Figure 2], [Figure 3], [Figure 4], [Figure 5]
[Table 1], [Table 2], [Table 3]
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