Flap selection in cranial base reconstruction.

We have compared our local, pedicled, and free-flap reconstructions for 90 skull base defects performed over the past 10 years. The pericranial flap was found to provide a reliable dural seal. Free-flap reconstructions exhibited a significantly higher incidence of uncomplicated primary wound healing (95 versus 62.5 percent) and a much lower incidence of flap loss (0 percent), cerebrospinal fluid leak (5 percent), meningitis, and abscess (0 percent) when compared with defects reconstructed with pedicled myocutaneous flaps. We conclude that microvascular free-tissue transfer is the safest, most economical procedure when faced with moderate to large composite defects of the cranial base.