Contact Cooling of Random-Pattern Cutaneous Flaps: Does it Increase Necrosis?

Background Cooling after surgery reduces pain, swelling and ecchymosis. However, the fear of adverse effects of vasoconstriction caused by cooling may prevent its use when the skin is undermined extensively, for example, after rhytidectomy. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the contact cooling of random-pattern skin flaps increases the area of necrosis observed.