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June 14, 2026Journal of Plastic and Reconstructive SurgeryOpen Access

Outcomes of Free Flap Soft Tissue Reconstruction for Skull Base Defects: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

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Authors

JHJack HylerAJAbigail JacobsACAndrea Costantino

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Overview

Systematic review and meta-analysis show free flap reconstruction is effective in skull base defects, highlighting overall low complications and reliable outcomes across donor sites.

Key Points

  • This research aims to evaluate the outcomes of free flap soft tissue reconstruction for skull base defects by analyzing various donor sites.
  • Systematic search in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases
  • Single-arm meta-analysis of proportions to calculate pooled effect sizes
  • Data from 24 studies including 392 patients were analyzed for flap failure and complications.
  • Pooled total flap failure rate was 0.0% (95% CI: 0.0-1.0)
  • Partial flap failure occurred in 1.0% (95% CI: 0.0-4.0)
  • Complications included cerebrospinal fluid leak (3.0%, 95% CI: 0.0-6.0), hematoma (1.0%, 95% CI: 0.0-4.0), and venous congestion/thrombosis (2.0%, 95% CI: 0.0-6.0).

Cite This Study

Hyler et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a2e4524b1cc60ccdea8a62bhttps://doi.org/10.53045/jprs.2025-0177
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Also Consider

Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context:

  1. 1Outcomes of Free Flap Bony Reconstruction for Maxillary Defects: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis2025 · 3 citations
  2. 2Use of Free Flaps in the Reconstruction of the Ventral Skull Base: A Systematic Literature Review2026
  3. 3Complications of Free Flap Reconstruction in Maxillary and Mandibular Defects: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis2026 · 1 citations
  4. 4Application of Free Flaps in Reconstruction of Head and Neck Soft Tissue Defects With Bone Exposure2024 · 2 citations
  5. 5Microvascular Free Tissue Transfer for Reconstruction of Anterior Skull Base Defects2025