PostOptix

Free flap breast reconstruction is a procedure in which a plastic surgeon reconstructs the breast by completely removing tissue from one body part and transplanting this “free flap” to the chest. Around 18,000 of these operations are performed annually, and immediate breast reconstruction after mastectomy is increasing by approximately 5% each year. However, this procedure incurs the risk of cell death (necrosis) as a result of failing to reestablish perfusion throughout the flap, necessitating postoperative monitoring. Current methods employed to monitor blood reperfusion are invasive, do not measure the entire flap, or cannot make quantitative predictions of a region’s likelihood to necrose. Our solution is to provide a Laser Speckle Contrast Imaging device that addresses these limitations, in an effort to improve and streamline the industry’s standard for preempting postoperative free-flap necrosis.

Watch Video