Certain clinical factors, including wound complications, are associated with reoperation and prolonged hospitalization in patients undergoing free tissue transfer (FTT) for reconstruction related to head and neck cancer, according to a study published online Nov. 30 in JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery.

William W. Thomas, M.D., from the University of Pennsylvania, and colleagues retrospectively reviewed data from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (2012 to 2014). The authors sought to examine patient and surgical variables associated with reoperation and length of stay following surgical procedures (1,115 patients) for malignant neoplasm of the head and neck involving microvascular FTT reconstruction