Reconstructive surgery with a free vascularised tissue flap is indicated in large defects in the head and neck region, which arise mostly because of head and neck cancer. Tobacco smoking is a major risk factor for head and neck cancer, and many patients undergoing reconstructive surgery in the head and neck have a history of smoking. The objective of this meta-analysis was to determine the impact of smoking on surgical complications after head and neck reconstructive surgery with a free vascularised tissue flap. A systematic review was undertaken for articles reporting and comparing the incidence of overall surgical complications after reconstructive surgery with a free vascularised tissue flap between smokers and nonsmokers. Relevant articles were searched using PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase databases, and screened for eligibility according to the PRISMA guidelines. The risk of bias analysis was conducted using the Newcastle-Ottawa quality assessment scale. A meta-analysis was performed to quantitatively compare the incidence rate of overall surgical complications, flap failure, surgical site infection, fistula, and haematoma between smokers and nonsmokers using OpenMetaAnalyst (open source) software. Only qualitative analysis was performed for wound dehiscence, bleeding, nerve injury, and impaired wound healing. Forty-six articles were screened for eligibility; 30 full texts were reviewed, and 19 studies were included in the quantitative meta-analysis. From the 19 studies, 18 were retrospective and 1 was a prospective study. In total, 2155 smokers and 3124 nonsmokers were included in the meta-analysis. Smoking was associated with a significantly increased risk of 19.12% for haematoma (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 4.75-33.49; p < 0.01), and of 4.57% for overall surgical complications (95% CI: 1.97-7.15; p < 0.01). No significant difference in risk was found for flap failure (95% CI: −4.33-9.90; p = 0.44), surgical site infection (95% CI: −0.88-2.60; p = 0.33) and fistula formation (95% CI: −3.81-3.71; p = 0.98) between smokers and nonsmokers. Only for flap failure was a significant heterogeneity found (I 2 = 63.02%; p = 0.03). Smoking tobacco was significantly associated with an increased risk of overall surgical complications and haematoma, but did not seem to affect other postoperative complications. Encouraging smoking cessation in patients who need reconstructive head and neck surgery remains important, but delaying surgery to create a non-smoking interval is not needed to prevent the investigated complications. More high-quality retrospective or prospective studies with a standardised protocol are needed to allow for definitive conclusions.

Objectives We review the evidence for tranexamic acid (TXA) for the treatment and prevention of bleeding caused by surgery, trauma and bleeding disorders. We highlight therapeutic areas where evidence is lacking and discuss safety issues, particularly the concern regarding thrombotic complications. Methods An electronic search was performed in PubMed and the Cochrane Library to identify clinical trials, safety reports and review articles. Findings TXA reduces bleeding in patients with menorrhagia, and in patients undergoing caesarian section, myomectomy, hysterectomy, orthopedic surgery, cardiac surgery, orthognathic surgery, rhinoplasty, and prostate surgery. For dental extractions in patients with bleeding disorders or taking antithrombotic drugs, as well as in cases of idiopathic epistaxis, tonsillectomy, liver transplantation and resection, nephrolithotomy, skin cancer surgery, burn wounds and skin grafting, there is moderate evidence that TXA is effective for reducing bleeding. TXA was not effective in reducing bleeding in traumatic brain injury and upper and lower gastrointestinal bleeding. TXA reduces mortality in patients suffering from trauma and postpartum hemorrhage. For many of these indications, there is no consensus about the optimal TXA dose. With certain dosages and with certain indications TXA can cause harm, such as an increased risk of seizures after high TXA doses with brain injury and cardiac surgery, and an increased mortality after delayed administration of TXA for trauma events or postpartum hemorrhage. Whereas most trials did not signal an increased risk for thrombotic events, some trials reported an increased rate of thrombotic complications with the use of TXA for gastro-intestinal bleeding and trauma. Conclusions TXA has well-documented beneficial effects in many clinical indications. Identifying these indications and the optimal dose and timing to minimize risk of seizures or thromboembolic events is work in progress.

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Objectives: The objective of the present study is to determine the impact of smoking on hospital and intensive care unit stay, need for surgical reintervention, Portsmouth Physiological and Operative Severity Score for the enumeration of Mortality and morbidity and surgical complications after head and neck reconstructions. Methods: All 153 patients who underwent head and neck reconstructions with free tissue transfer at the department of oral and maxillofacial surgery at the University

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