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Poster Award

264 Views

Reconstruction (includes Bone & Biomaterials and Soft Tissue)

(76) The Impact of Socioeconomic Disparities on Postoperative Complications Following Pediatric Head and Free Tissue Transfer

Thursday, September 18, 2025

2:30 PM - 4:00 PM EDT

Poster Presenter(s)

Asli Pekcan, BS (she/her/hers)

Student
Keck School of Medicine of USC
Los Angeles, California, United States

Co-Author(s)

Melanie Bakovic, BS

Student
Children's Hospital Los Angeles
North Potomac, Maryland, United States
Valeria Mejia, BS (she/her/hers)

Student
Children's Hospital Los Angeles
North Hollywood, California, United States
Raina K. Patel, BS (she/her/hers)

Medical Student
Children's Hospital Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California, United States
AM

Artur Manasyan, BS

Student
Keck School of Medicine of USC
Los Angeles, California, United States
MT

Marvee Turk, MD, MPH

Resident
Children's Hospital Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California, United States
PN

Priyanka Naidu, MD

Resident
Keck School of Medicine of USC
Los Angeles, California, United States
MU

Mark M. Urata, DDS, MD

Attending
Children's Hospital Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California, United States
Jeffrey A. Hammoudeh, DDS, MD

Attending
Children's Hospital Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California, United States

Disclosure(s):

Asli Pekcan, BS: No financial relationships to disclose

Melanie Bakovic, BS: No financial relationships to disclose

Valeria Mejia, BS: No financial relationships to disclose

Raina K. Patel, BS: No financial relationships to disclose

Abstract:

Background: Recent studies have identified various socioeconomic disparities in postoperative outcomes among adults undergoing head and neck (H&N) microsurgical reconstruction. This study aimed to measure the impact of socioeconomic factors on outcomes of H&N free tissue transfer in a pediatric population.

Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of children who underwent H&N free tissue transfer (FTT) at a tertiary children’s hospital between 2007 and 2024. Socioeconomic status was quantified using Area Deprivation Index (ADI), a composite measure of disadvantage reported across ZIP codes. Patient health records were reviewed for post operative flap outcomes, which were compared across ADI cohorts.

Results: A total of 59 patients met inclusion criteria, among whom 43.1% were considered low deprivation and 56.9% high deprivation. Overall flap survival was 97.3%. Rates of flap failure, unanticipated revision, and readmission did not differ between cohorts. However, flap dehiscence was significantly more likely among high deprivation patients (25.6% vs 6.2%, P = .034). Furthermore, every 1-point increase in ADI over 5 was associated with a 7.8% increase in the odds of flap dehiscence (P < .05).

Discussion: Neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation was independently predictive of flap dehiscence among children undergoing H&N FTT, but was not associated with flap failure, flap revisions, or 30-day readmissions. This finding underscores the broader impact of socioeconomic factors on pediatric health outcomes, particularly surgical wound healing.