Open AccessEffect of Heparin on Prevention of Flap Loss in Microsurgical Free Flap Transfer: A Meta-Analysis
Author(s) -
Xuanliang Pan,
Guoxian Chen,
Huawei Shao,
Chunmao Han,
Liping Zhang,
Lizhu Zhi
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0095111
Subject(s) - free flap , heparin , medicine , meta analysis , surgery
The effectiveness of heparin for thromboprophylaxis during microvascular free flap transfer is uncertain. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to determine the effect of heparin on the prevention of flap loss in microsurgical free flap transfer.A search of PubMed, Cochrane databases, and Google Scholar using combinations of the search terms heparin, free flap, flap loss, free tissue transfer was conducted on March 15, 2013. Inclusion criteria were: 1) Prospective randomized trials. 2) Retrospective, non-randomized studies. 3) Patients received free tissue transfer. Flap loss rate was used to evaluate treatment efficacy. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated and compared between therapies. Four studies meet the criteria for analysis and were included. Two studiescompared aspirin and heparin, and the ORs of the 2 studies were 1.688 and 2.087. The combined OR of 2.003 (95% CI 0.976–4.109, p = 0.058) did not indicate any significant difference between heparin and aspirin therapies. Two studiescompared high and low doses of dalteparin/heparin therapies, and the ORs of the 2 studies were 4.691 and 11.00. The combined OR of 7.810 (95% CI 1.859–32.808, p = 0.005) revealed a significant difference indicating that high dose dalteparin or heparin therapy is associated with a greater flap loss rate than low dose therapy. Heparin and aspirin prophylaxis are associated with similar flap loss rates after free flap transfer, and high dose dalteparin or heparin therapy is associated with a greater flap loss rate than low dose therapy.