Microvascular and Reconstructive Head and Neck Surgery Laboratory

UCLA Microvascular and Reconstructive Head and Neck Surgery Laboratory

Clinical Research

Database-driven outcomes research addressing success in free-tissue transfer and quality-of-life outcomes after free-flap surgeries.

Led by Dr. Blackwell's unprecedented single-surgeon 99.8% free-tissue-transfer success rate on nearly 1400 cases, this database has grown further with the recent addition of Dr. Nabili to the faculty. A significant portion of over 100 peer-reviewed high-impact publications of Dr. Blackwell's emanate from this database. Many current evidence-based recommendations stem from this database and are used in today's surgical managements.

Drs. Nabili and Blackwell are currently working on a quality-of-life evaluation of swallowing one year after free-flap surgeries in order to determine long-term changes in our patients.

Funding Source: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, UCLA.

Basic Science Research

Mandibular Osteoradionecrosis: A multifaceted in-vivo animal model and in-vitro cell culture model to study the pathogenesis of this disease.

Led by Dr. Nabili and in collaboration with the Jane & Jerry Weintraub Center for Reconstructive Biotechnology, the focus is to find ways to alter a hypothesized cell-mediated basis of this disease. The translational goal is to bring methods of treatment before, during and after head and neck radiation to clinical trial to prevent ORN and subsequently eliminate its indication and need for free-flap reconstruction.

Funding Source: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, UCLA and Career Development Award program at the Greater Los Angeles Veterans Health System, 2010-2011 Academic Senate Faculty Research Grant

Pre-and intraoperative methods for detection of optimal soft tissue perfusion in determining successful free-flap reconstruction.

Funding Source: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, UCLA

Members

Principal Investigators: Keith Blackwell, MD and Vishad Nabili, MD