The two-team approach in major head and neck/reconstructive surgery can occasionally lead to delays between flap harvest and detachment, due to the complexity and length of the ablative procedure. In order to minimize the potential for flap cooling and the adverse impact on microcirculation, active warming can be beneficial.(1) Intraoperative flap warming to either maintain or improve circulation during free flap harvesting has been performed with a variety of passive and active techniques,(2) however limitations such as a lack of consistent temperature regulation, lack of sterility, inability to directly visualise the flap or the need for acquisition of new equipment for a niche area meant that an ideal solution was lacking. (Source: Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery)
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