Microsurgery in the sickle cell trait population: is it actually safe?

Although sickle cell disease has long been viewed as a contraindication to free flap transfer, little data exist evaluating complications of microsurgical procedures in the sickle cell trait patient. Reported is the case of a 55-year-old woman with sickle cell trait who underwent a deep inferior epigastric perforator microvascular free flap following mastectomy. The flap developed signs of venous congestion on postoperative day 2 but was found to have patent arterial and venous anastomoses on exploration in the operating room. On near-infrared indocyanine green angiography, poor vascular flow was noted despite patent anastomoses and strong cutaneous arterial Doppler signals. Intrinsic microvascular compromise or sickling remains a risk in the sickle cell trait population as it does for the sickle cell disease population. Just like in sickle cell disease patients, special care should be taken to optimise anticoagulation and minimise ischaemia-induced sickling for patients with sickle cell trait undergoing microsurgery.