Corlett loop for microvascular reconstruction in a neck depleted of vessels

Free tissue transfer has revolutionised reconstruction of the head and neck and there are currently few local factors that preclude its use. These include a lack of suitable recipient vessels in the area for microvascular anastomosis. We describe the use of a Corlett loop in which a temporary arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is created with a transposed cephalic vein to enable reconstruction of a mandibular defect with a fibular free flap.