The Laser Doppler flowmeter for microvascular monitoring: a preliminary report.

A preliminary report is presented of a free-flap monitoring technique using the Doppler shift of Laser light. It has provided useful information in five patients with free flaps. The technique is non-invasive and the apparatus is compact, portable and simple to use. Although a long term evaluation with a larger number of patients is required the technique has many advantages over others currently available and is sufficiently promising to warrant further investigation.