The Free Vascularized Anterior Rib Graft

The free vascularized anterior rib graft, one of the earliest free osseous transfers to the head and neck, has not gained widespread acceptance, perhaps due to early reservations concerning the adequacy of the periosteal circulation. The authors present further laboratory evidence, with clinical cases, attesting to the adequacy of the periosteal circulation alone. Our surgical technique varies from other reports in that a substantially greater …