Difference between Capillary Blood Glucose of Free Flap and the Patient: A Novel Objective Marker of Free Flap Vascular Compromise during Postoperative Monitoring

Abstract Background  Defining cut-off values of flap glucose levels in diagnosing free flap vascular compromise, without taking patients' glucose levels into account, does not hold good in all circumstances, especially in cases of high fluctuations in patients' capillary blood glucose and in diabetic patients. The aim of our study was to establish the role of capillary blood glucose measurements of the flap in relation to patients' fingertip, as an objective tool for postoperative free flap monitoring. Methods  A total of 76 free flaps underwent postoperative monitoring with reference test (clinical parameters) and simultaneously with our index test (difference between capillary blood glucose of free flap and the patient), in non-diabetic and diabetic patients. Patients' demography and flap characteristics were also recorded. An ROC curve was plotted to determine diagnostic accuracy and cut-offs of the index test in diagnosing free flap vascular compromise. Results  Our Index test has a cut-off value of 24.5 mg/dL with 68.75% sensitivity and 93% specificity, with an accuracy of 91.54%. Conclusion  The difference between capillary blood glucose of free flap and the patient is simple, feasible, and inexpensive, and can be done by any health care professional and does not require any specialized facilities or training. It has an excellent diagnostic accuracy to detect impending free flap vascular compromise, especially in non-diabetics. Although in diabetics, this test becomes less accurate. Being an observer-independent objective test, the difference in capillary blood glucose of patient and flap measurement can be used as a highly reliable tool for postoperative free flap monitoring.