Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33960527›Full record

SynthesisMicrosurgery2021

Prelaminated flaps in head and neck cancer reconstructive surgery: A systematic review.

Matteo Fermi, Edoardo Bassano, Giulia Molinari, Matteo Alicandri-Ciufelli, Alfonso Scarpa, Livio Presutti, Giorgio De Santis, Francesco Mattioli

Open access · hybridAbstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Microsurgery, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.5field-weighted citation impact, top 19% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 10 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. A biosynthetic thumb prosthesis.npj biomedical innovations · 2025
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Matteo FermiOtorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Department, University Hospital of Modena, Modena, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2727-0321
Edoardo BassanoOtorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Department, University Hospital of Modena, Modena, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1603-8359
Giulia MolinariOtorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Department, University Hospital of Modena, Modena, Italy.
Matteo Alicandri-CiufelliOtorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Department, University Hospital of Modena, Modena, Italy.
Alfonso ScarpaDepartment of Medicine and Surgery, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy.
Livio PresuttiOtorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Department, University Hospital of Modena, Modena, Italy.
Giorgio De SantisDivision of Plastic Surgery, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children and Adults, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.
Francesco MattioliOtorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Department, University Hospital of Modena, Modena, Italy.
University of Modena and Reggio Emilia · ITUniversity of Salerno · IT

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPrelamination is a reconstructive technique providing fasciomucosal or composite flaps with low donor-site morbidity. We conducted a systematic review of retrospective studies to assess the application of prelaminated flaps in reconstructive surgery of head and neck cancer patients, and to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of this technique.

methodsThis systematic review adhered to the recommendations of the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items of Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis) 2009 guidelines. A computerized MEDLINE search was performed using the PubMed service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (www.pubmed.org) and Scopus database (www.scopus.com), running the following search string: "prelamination OR prelaminated AND flap." Two authors screened the articles, then selected and extracted data on malignancies characteristics, reconstructive techniques, outcomes and complications.

resultsA total of 19 articles were selected and reviewed from 128 identified. Seven of 19 articles were case reports, 12 articles were case series. One-hundred-two patients underwent reconstructive treatment by prelamination technique using a wide variety of flaps (92 free, 10 pedicled). The sites of reconstruction were oral cavity (66 floor of the mouth, 3 retromolar trigone, 6 hard palate, 4 cheek, 4 tongue), 8 facial skin (5 of them sited on the nose), 4 oropharyngeal defects, 1 laryngotracheal region. No case of total flap loss was reported. Partial flap loss or shrinkage requiring minor surgical revisions was observed in 18 patients (17.6%). Primary closure of the donor site was achieved in 97 cases (97%) and 3 (3%) required revision surgery of the donor site.

conclusionPrelamination is an effective and versatile technique, with low donor-site morbidity. Further studies would be needed to investigate the impact on the patient's oncologic outcome. More comparative studies with standard reconstructive techniques are essential to understand when it is worth performing this sophisticated procedure.

Indexed as

Free Tissue FlapsHead and Neck NeoplasmsPlastic Surgery ProceduresCheekHumansRetrospective StudiesSurgical Flaps

Identifiers

PMID33960527
PMCPMC8518088
OpenAlexW3159185638

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.