Acute Care Rehabilitation Following Upper and Lower Extremity Free Flap Surgery: A Review of Best Practices and Case Reports

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to highlight the guiding principles and protocols for immediate and early postoperative management of upper and lower extremity flaps. We review critical principals of flap monitoring, dangling protocols, splinting, and positioning, as they relate to the physical and occupational therapists' acute care of patients following flap surgery. We refer to the protocol used at our facility but also discuss other protocols used in different hospitals. Case Demonstrations: Two cases have been discussed in this article, one involving the upper extremity and the other involving the lower extremity. The first case is a 43-year-old man who fell on the subway tracks, resulting in severe electrical burns requiring an anterolateral thigh flap for soft tissue coverage of exposed bone. The second case is a 55-year-old patient who was involved in a motor vehicle accident resulting in an open knee wound requiring a free latissimus dorsi muscle transfer for soft tissue coverage. Conclusion: There is no “gold standard” when treating a patient after flap surgery. As therapists, after a bed rest order is lifted, we initiate mobilizing a patient. Therefore, we may be present when a flap is at risk for compromise. As such, therapists should become familiar with the surgeon's protocol at their facility and understand how to appropriately progress patients. Additionally, a therapist should comprehend ways to assess a flap and familiarize themselves with principles of flap management.