Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38127340›Full record

ArticleJAMA otolaryngology-- head & neck surgery2024

Early Weight-Bearing After Fibula Free Flap Surgery.

Minjee Kim, Michael P Wu, Lauren E Miller, Charles D Meyer, Allen L Feng, Mark A Varvares, Daniel G Deschler, Derrick T Lin, Jeremy D Richmon

Open access · greenAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in JAMA otolaryngology-- head & neck surgery, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
1.3field-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

0 citing papers in PubMed, 4 citations in OpenAlex.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

9 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Minjee KimDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
Michael P WuDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
Lauren E MillerDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
Charles D MeyerDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
Allen L FengDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
Mark A VarvaresDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
Daniel G DeschlerDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
Derrick T LinDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
Jeremy D RichmonDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary · USHarvard University · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Importance: Despite the widespread use of fibula free flap (FFF) surgery for head and neck reconstruction, there are no studies assessing if early weight-bearing (EWB) affects postoperative recovery, and the timing of weight-bearing initiation following FFF surgery varies considerably across institutions. Therefore, it is important to understand the effect of EWB in these patients and whether it could improve postoperative recovery. Objective: To assess the association of EWB after FFF surgery with donor-site complications, length of stay, and discharge to home status. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective cohort study took place at Massachusetts Eye and Ear, a single tertiary care institution in Boston, Massachusetts. A total of 152 patients who received head and neck reconstruction with a fibula osteocutaneous free flap between January 11, 2010, and August 11, 2022, were included. Exposure: EWB on postoperative day 1 vs non-EWB on postoperative day 2 or later. Main Outcomes and Measures: Patient characteristics, including demographic characteristics and comorbidities, surgical characteristics, donor-site complications, length of stay, and discharge disposition, were recorded. Descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regressions were used to compute effect sizes and 95% CIs to compare postoperative outcomes in EWB and non-EWB groups. Results: A total of 152 patients (median [IQR] age, 63 [55-70] years; 89 [58.6%] male) were included. The median (IQR) time to postoperative weight-bearing was 3 (1-5) days. Among all patients, 14 (9.2%) had donor-site complications. EWB on postoperative day 1 was associated with shorter length of stay (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.10; 95% CI, 0.02-0.60), increased rate of discharge to home (AOR, 7.43; 95% CI, 2.23-24.80), and decreased donor-site complications (AOR, 0.11; 95% CI, 0.01-0.94). Conversely, weight-bearing 3 or more days postoperatively was associated with an increased risk of pneumonia (AOR, 6.82; 95% CI, 1.33-34.99). Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study, EWB after FFF surgery was associated with shorter length of stay, increased rate of discharge to home, and decreased donor-site complications. These findings support the role of early mobilization to optimize postoperative recovery after FFF surgery.

Indexed as

Free Tissue FlapsPlastic Surgery ProceduresCohort StudiesFemaleFibulaHumansMaleMiddle AgedPostoperative ComplicationsRetrospective StudiesWeight-Bearing

Identifiers

PMID38127340
PMCPMC10853825
OpenAlexW4390048898

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.