ABSTRACT
A hand-held nondirectional Doppler ultrasound flowmeter has been used to monitor the
arterial and venous patency of 60 clinical free tissue transfers. Based on information
obtained, three flaps were re-explored, at which time the preoperative diagnosis of
arterial or venous occlusion was confirmed. Two of the three flaps were salvaged.
This readily available, noninvasive system has been useful in monitoring clinical
free tissue transfers whose surfaces are exposed.
