Achieving Norms: Limitations of Autotransplantation and the Need for Allotransplantation Illustrated with Head and Neck Reconstruction

Free tissue transfer is the epitome of reconstruction that has revolutionized our reconstructive approach all over the human body. Nevertheless, certain defects arising from animal bites, ballistic trauma, tumor excisions, and congenital deformities are too complex and severe to be restored for maintaining human dignity. In these defects, allotissue transplantation, the latest evolution in reconstructive microsurgery, can provide promising results. The focus of this chapter is to introduce autologous free tissue transfer and illustrate its limitations and the potential role of vascularized composite allotransplantation.