The Institute of Medicine report "To Err is Human," released in late 1999, raised the issue of human error in medicine to a new level of attention. This study examines the frequency, severity, and type (FST) of errors associated with postoperative surgical complications at a tertiary care, university-based medical center, addressing the intersection of three domains: patient safety, graduate medical education, and simulation-based training. The study develops and validates a classification system for medical error that is specific to surgery, affirming reliability internally and externally. Baseline data on the FST of errors is collected over a 12-month period. A hybrid, simulation based training session is developed, validated, and applied to a cohort of surgical residents, focusing on the three most common types of errors identified from pilot data, namely judgment error, incomplete understanding of the problem, and inattention to detail, all human factor errors. The impact of the training is evaluated by measuring the FST of errors occurring during the 6-month period following the training sessions. The study demonstrates that there is a continuous decrement in the incidence of postoperative complications and a proportional decrease in error, which starts at the beginning of the baseline data collection and continues linearly throughout the 12 baseline months and subsequent 6 post-training months. There is no additional decrement in the rate of change following training, and no change in the rate of the index errors following the training. This study suggests that surgical error is frequent (>2%) and principally due to human factors rather than systems or communication. This study demonstrates that creating an environment where residents are continuously involved in identifying and characterizing errors results in a significant and sustained decrease in postoperative complications and the errors specifically associated with them. Contrary to expectations, a validated, well-designed, active-learning training module does not result in an additional identifiable improvement in patient outcome or in the incidence of index errors. These results are at variance with many recent studies addressing medical error and, if verified by additional studies, challenge several strongly held ideas related to patient safety training.

The research presented in this thesis describes a substantial part of the design of a prototypical surgical training simulator. The results are intended to be applied in future simulators used to educate and train surgeons for bone milling operations. In earlier work we have developed a haptic bone milling surgery simulator prototype based on three degrees-of-freedom force feedback. The contributions presented here constitute an extension to that work by further developing the haptic algorithms to enable six degrees-of-freedom (6-DOF) haptic feedback. Such feedback is crucial for a realistic haptic experience when interacting in a more complex virtual environment, particularly in milling applications.The main contributions of this thesis are:The developed 6-DOF haptic algorithm is based on the work done by Barbic and James, but differs in that the algorithm is modified and optimized for milling applications. The new algorithm handles the challenging problem of real-time rendering of volume data changes due to material removal, while fulfilling the requirements on stability and smoothness of the kind of haptic applications that we approach. The material removal algorithm and the graphic rendering presented here are based on the earlier research. The new 6-DOF haptic milling algorithm is characterized by voxel-based collision detection, penalty-based and constraint-based haptic feedback, and by using a virtual coupling for stable interaction.Milling a hole in an object in the virtual environment or dragging the virtual tool along the surface of a virtual object shall generate realistic contact force and torque in the correct directions. These are important requirements for a bone milling simulator to be used as a future training tool in the curriculum of surgeons. The goal of this thesis is to present and state the quality of a newly developed 6-DOF haptic milling algorithm. The quality of the algorithm is confirmed through a verification test and a face validity study performed in collaboration with the Division of Orthopedics at the Karolinska University Hospital. In a simulator prototype, the haptic algorithm is implemented together with a new 6-DOF haptic device based on parallel kinematics. This device is developed with workspace, transparency and stiffness characteristics specifically adapted to the particular procedure. This thesis is focuses on the 6-DOF haptic algorithm. / QC 20120226

<p>A prototype of a haptic and virtual reality simulator has been developed for simulation of the bone milling and material removal process occurring in several operations, e.g. temporal bone surgery or dental milling. The milling phase of an operation is difficult, safety critical and very time consuming. Reduction of operation time by only a few percent would in the long run save society large expenses. In order to reduce operation time and to provide surgeons with an invaluable practicing environment, this licentiate thesis discusses the introduction of a simulator system to be used in both surgeon curriculum and in close connection to the actual operations.</p><p>The virtual reality and haptic feedback topics still constitute a young and unexplored area. It has only been active for about 10-15 years for medical applications. High risk training on real patients and the change from open surgery to endoscopic procedures have enforced the introduction of haptic and virtual reality simulators for training of surgeons. Increased computer power and the similarity to the successful aviation simulators also motivate to start using simulators for training of surgical skills.</p><p>The research focus has been twofold: 1) To develop a well working VR-system for realistic graphical representation of the skull itself including the changes resulting from milling, and 2) to find an efficient algorithm for haptic feedback to mimic the milling procedure using the volumetric Computer Tomography (CT) data of the skull. The developed haptic algorithm has been verified and tested in the simulator. The visualization of the milling process is rendered at a graphical frame rate of 30 Hz and the haptic rendering loop is updated at 1000 Hz. Test results show that the real-time demands are fulfilled. The visual and haptic implementations have been the two major steps to reach the over all goal with this research project.</p><p>A survey study is also included where the use of VR and haptic simulators in the surgical curriculum is investigated. The study starts with a historical perspective of the VR and haptic topics and is built up by answering different questions related to this topic and the implementation of simulators at the medical centres. The questions are of general concern for those developing surgical VR and haptic simulators.</p><p>Suggested future work includes modelling, development and validation of the haptic forces occurring in the milling process and, based on this, implementation in the simulator system. Also, further development of the simulator should be done in close cooperation with surgeons in order to get appropriate feedback for further improvements of the functionality and performance of the simulator.</p>

No description available.

This study was an investigation into the cost-effectiveness of using re-usable instrumentation in laparoscopic surgery. The model used for the study was the laparoscopic cholecystectomy which is the commonest laparoscopic procedure performed by the general surgeons. The study was done at KZNGOV Hospital in Kwazulu Natal, one of the largest tertiary hospitals in the province. The research done was both qualitative and quantitative. An exploratory study was conducted initially by drawing up the case study, and then quantitative and qualitative research was conducted to evaluate the use of re-usable instrumentation in laparoscopic surgery. In order to conduct a more focused design, the three most commonly used laparoscopic instruments were evaluated. These were the trocars (sizes 11.0mm and 5.0mm), the endoshears / scissors and the clip applicators. The study aimed to assess whether the use of the re-usable instruments was more cost-effective, whether their use in minimal access surgery was feasible, and whether the use of re-usable instrumentation compromised patient well-being. Information for the case study was obtained from the hospital notes of the patients who had a laparoscopic cholecystectomy at KZNGOV Hospital, and from interviews with experienced surgeons. The study found that the re-usable instrumentation used at KZNGOV Hospital had no adverse effects on the patients. The Department of Surgery and the theatre committee at this hospital have chosen an excellent and cost-effective protocol for laparoscopic surgery, and the choice of instrumentation cannot be faulted. Analysis of the results showed a large cost saving obtained by using the re-usable laparoscopic instrumentation, with no adverse patient outcomes. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2003.

Die Endoskopie ist ein wesentlicher Bestandteil der Chirurgie. Nicht nur die Diagnostik, sondern speziell die operative Endoskopie bedarf der besonderen Kompetenz von Chirurgen. Dies wurde in der Vergangenheit in einigen Zentren eindeutig belegt. Zukünftig wird die chirurgische Endoskopie in ihrer Wertigkeit steigen. Die konventionelle Chirurgie wird schon heute zum Teil durch minimal invasive Verfahren abgelöst. Die Progredienz dieser Entwicklung ist absehbar. Dazu werden auch Kombinationen der flexiblen Endoskopie mit laparoskopischen Techniken und der Sonographie zunehmend zum Einsatz kommen. Daneben wird die Kooperation mit den Gastroenterologen intensiviert. Ein kürzlich verabschiedetes Konsensuspapier der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Verdauungsund Stoffwechselkrankheiten und der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Viszeralchirurgie unterstreicht den bilateralen Wunsch zur Zusammenarbeit. Ziele bestehen in der Optimierung der endoskopischen Leistungen. Patientenversorgung, Forschung und Lehre können so synergistisch weiter verbessert werden. Die Voraussetzung zur Durchsetzung dieser Ziele ist die gegenseitige Anerkennung der Kompetenz, die Unterstützung bei der Novellierung der Weiterbildungsordnung und die dem Bedarf und den Fortschritten angepasste Weiterentwicklung des Papiers. Daneben werden Chirurgen und Gastroenterologen die fachspezifischen Fragestellungen der intraluminalen Endoskopie auch weiterhin selbständig verfolgen. / Endoscopy between Surgery and Gastroenterology – the Point of View of the Chirurgische Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Endoskopie und Sonographie (CAES) Flexible endoscopy is an important part of surgery. Not only diagnostic investigation, but especially operative endoscopy needs surgical competence. This has been proven in several centers. In the future the status of surgical endoscopy will increase. Already today, conventional surgery has been replaced more and more by minimal invasive procedures. This evolution probably will continue. The combination of flexible endoscopy with laparoscopy and sonography will be routinely introduced into daily surgical work. At the same time cooperation with medical gastroenterologists is intensified. A recently realized agreement of the German Society for Digestive and Metabolic Diseases and the German Society for Visceral Surgery confirms the efforts to work together in this field. The goal is to optimize endoscopic performance. Patient\'\'s care, research, and teaching can be synergistically improved. Conditions for successful consensual work are the acceptance of each others competence, the support of activities for actual education programs and the development of the agreement, depending on further necessities and progress. Besides that, specifically related research in intraluminal endoscopy will be continued by surgeons and medical gastroenterologists. / Dieser Beitrag ist mit Zustimmung des Rechteinhabers aufgrund einer (DFG-geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich.

This diploma thesis focuses on information awareness among mothers of children hospitalized at surgical intensive care units. Four research questions were formulated on the basis of literature review. The theoretical part of this thesis gives an overview of basic facts concerning information awareness and care of children at surgical ICUs. Furthermore, it describes the way information is passed on in praktice. A part of the theoretical section also comprises of the list enumerating the most common diagnoses with which children found themselves to be placed at surgical ICUs and it contains, as well, the description of admittance of children for a surgical intervention, pre-surgical care, post-surgical care and discharge of children from hospital to homecare. Collection of data for the practical part of the diploma thesis was conducted at two intensive care units in the University Hospital in Motol, Prague, and UH Brno in the CR. Five respondents were intentionally selected from each ICU with whom semi-structured interviews were conducted, which are summarized in sub-chapter 4.2. The results of interviews with individual respondents were further subjected to analysis and summarized in summary tables. The Diploma thesis had two objectives. The first objective was to ascertain subjective information awareness of mothers about their children´s illnesses and possible complications or consequences related to these illnesses. We wanted to find out whether mothers were subjectively satisfied with information provided about thein children´s illnesses and possible complications or consequences related to these illnesses. We also wanted to discover whether they experienced any information deficit in this area and what were their most frequent questions to the medical personnel. It was ascertained through interviews that the majority of respondents was not satisfied with information provided. The second objective was to discover subjective information awareness pertaining to the period of hospitalization at surgical ICU and child´s subsequent homecare. We wanted to know whether mothers felt that they were kept informed enough about pre-surgical and post-surgical care of their child and whether or not they were satisfied with information pertaining to child´s subsequent homecare. We were also interested in whether or not they experienced any deficit of information received and what were their most frequent questions to the medical personnel. It was discovered through an analysis that the majority of respondents was not satisfied with information pertaining to pre-surgical care and complications which might have arised during the surgical intervention. As for information centred on the date of operation and possible duration of hospitalization most respondents were satisfied with it. Furthermore, the majority of respondents were satisfied with information provided about child´s subsequent homecare. We discovered that respondents were not informed satisfactorily by medical personnel about other contacts such as for clubs for parents, stoma clubs and centres of early intervention. It was possible to ascertain from the results that each respondent saw deficits in different areas of information provision as well. In the list of such information deficit areas are information about the character of surgical intervention, the ward rules, and the fact that doctors and nurses do not have enough time. Moreover, the respondents also perceived the deficit in sharing of information among medical personnel. On the basis of final results which point to experience of unsatisfactory information awareness among mothers about pre-surgical care for the child we developed in a written form the Information for parents about pre-surgical and post-surgical care brochure. We also prepared due to the fact that mothers sensed the lack of written information about the ward the Information for parents about the ward brochure.

O estudo teve como objetivos analisar as evidências disponíveis na literatura sobre o processo de contagem cirúrgica (compressas, instrumentos cirúrgicos e perfurocortantes) e analisar como ocorre o processo de contagem cirúrgica, segundo a opinião dos enfermeiros que atuam em unidades de centro cirúrgico de hospitais de uma cidade localizada no interior do Estado de São Paulo. Para alcançar os objetivos propostos, a pesquisa foi conduzida em duas fases: a elaboração de revisão integrativa e a condução de estudo descritivo. A busca dos estudos primários para inclusão na revisão integrativa foi realizada nas bases de dados PubMed, CINAHL e LILACS. A amostra da revisão integrativa foi composta de 28 estudos primários, agrupados em três categorias: fatores de risco para retenção de itens cirúrgicos, processo de contagem cirúrgica e uso de tecnologias para o aprimoramento do processo de contagem cirúrgica. A elaboração da revisão integrativa possibilitou a síntese de evidências sobre o processo de contagem cirúrgica, na qual foi possível detectar os fatores de risco para retenção de itens cirúrgicos, como o processo de contagem cirúrgica deve ser realizado, bem como por quem e quando; além do conhecimento das tecnologias adjuntas que podem aprimorar o processo de contagem manual. O estudo descritivo foi conduzido em 16 unidades de centro cirúrgico, com a participação de 55 enfermeiros que atuavam diretamente neste setor dos hospitais selecionados. Para a coleta de dados, foi elaborado instrumento submetido à validação aparente e de conteúdo por cinco juízes. Os participantes do estudo responderam a questões sobre o processo de contagem cirúrgica (compressas, instrumentos cirúrgicos e perfurocortantes): como era realizado, por quem e quando. Quando o enfermeiro indicou que, no serviço de saúde, não era executada a contagem de algum dos itens cirúrgicos investigados, solicitou-se a sua opinião de como deveria ser realizado determinado processo. Assim, 52 (94,5%) participantes responderam que o processo de contagem cirúrgica era realizado no seu local de trabalho e três (5,5%) não. A contagem de instrumentos cirúrgicos era realizada, de acordo com 55,8% dos enfermeiros (n=29); 88,5% (n=46) dos participantes afirmaram que o processo de contagem de compressas era executado e 48,1% (n=25) dos enfermeiros informaram a realização do processo de contagem de perfurocortantes. A Organização Mundial de Saúde preconiza como item para a segurança do paciente que o processo de contagem cirúrgica seja realizado em qualquer cirurgia, e o enfermeiro perioperatório tem papel fundamental neste processo e na prevenção de retenção de itens cirúrgicos. Esse profissional deve implementar protocolos de execução desse processo pautados em evidências recentes, na unidade de centro cirúrgico. Entretanto, para o processo de contagem cirúrgica ocorrer efetivamente na prática clínica, há necessidade de recursos humanos treinados e de dispositivos que auxiliem na contagem, como lousa na sala de operação, recipientes exclusivos para colocação de compressas e perfurocortantes, além do uso adequado de tecnologias como raios-X, compressas com código de barras e compressas com marcadores de radiofrequência. Assim, a instituição de saúde deve dar o suporte necessário para a adequada realização do processo de contagem cirúrgica / The aims of this study were to analyze the evidence of surgical count process (sponges, surgical instruments and sharps) available in literature and examine how the surgical count process takes place, according to the opinion of nurses working in surgical units of hospitals of a city in upstate São Paulo. The study was conducted in two phases: an integrative review and a descriptive study. The search for primary studies to be included in the integrative review was conducted in PubMed, CINAHL and LILACS databases. The integrative review sample consisted of 28 primary studies, grouped into three categories: risk factors for retained surgical items, surgical count process and using technologies to improve the surgical count. The integrative review allowed synthesizing the evidence on the surgical count process, which enabled to detect the risk factors for retained surgical items, how the process should be performed, as well as who should perform it and when; in addition to the identifying the knowledge of supporting technologies that could improve the manual counting process. The descriptive study was performed in 16 surgical units, counting with the participation of 55 nurses working directly in the referred unit of the selected hospitals. Data collection was performed using an instrument previously submitted to apparent and content validation by five judges. The participants answered questions regarding the surgical count process (sponges, surgical instruments and sharps): who performed it, how and when. Whenever nurses indicated that, at their health service, there were flaws in counting any of the investigated surgical items, they were asked about their opinion as to how the process should be performed. Fifty-two (94.5%) participants answered that the surgical count process was performed at their workplace whereas three (5.5%) stated it was not. According to 55.8% of nurses (n=29) surgical instruments were counted; 88.5% (n=46) of participant reported that the sponges count process was performed, and 48.1% (n=25) informed that sharps were counted. The World Health Organization recommends the surgical count process as a patient safety item, and that it should be performed in every surgery, with the perioperative nurse playing a key role in this process as well as in avoiding the retained surgical items. Nurses should implement protocols for performing this procedure in the surgical unit, supported by recent evidence. Nevertheless, to ensure the surgical count process is effective, the staff must be properly trained and specific devices to assist the counting procedure must be made available, such as keeping whiteboards operating room, as well as exclusive containers for placing sponges and sharps, in addition to an appropriate utilization of supporting technologies such as X- rays, bar-coded sponges and radio frequency tagged sponges. Thus, health institutions should provide the necessary support for an effective surgical count process

Foi realizado um estudo clínico prospectivo analisando os resultados obtidos no tratamento de 23 pacientes portadores de lesões do revestimento cutâneo de dimensões iguais ou menores a 20 cm de comprimento por 10 cm de largura com a utilização do retalho microcirúrgico lateral do braço ampliado distalmente ao epicôndilo lateral do cotovelo. Todos os pacientes foram tratados pelo Grupo de Mão e Microcirurgia do Instituto de Ortopedia da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, no período de dois anos, 2003 à 2005. Na presente casuística, tivemos 69.5% de pacientes do sexo masculino, 73.9% de origem traumática e a região receptora foi o membro inferior em 65.2% dos casos. A idade variou de 6 anos até 62 anos, com média de 32 anos. O seguimento mínimo foi de 5 meses. Houve sucesso na realização de 100% dos retalhos. As dimensões dos retalhos realizados neste trabalho variaram em comprimento, de 9 cm até 20 cm, com média de 14 cm e em largura, de 3 cm até 8 cm, com média de 5.5 cm. A maior distância entre o epicôndilo lateral e a extremidade distal do retalho utilizada neste estudo foi de 8 cm, variando de 2 cm até 8 cm, com média de 4.9 cm. O retalho microcirúrgico lateral do braço ampliado distalmente ao epicôndilo lateral do cotovelo mostrou-se seguro para a cobertura cutânea de lesões de dimensões iguais ou menores a 20 cm de comprimento por 10 cm de largura, com o prolongamento do retalho até 8 cm distal ao epicôndilo lateral / This prospective clinical study investigates the results of treatment of 23 patients with cutaneous lesions of no more then 20 cm of length by 10 cm of width, by means of a microsurgical lateral arm flap, distally extended by the elbow lateral epicondilyle. All patients came from the Hand and Microsurgery Group of the \"Instituto de Ortopedia da Faculdade de Medicina\" of the \"Universidade de São Paulo\", in a two years period from 2003 till 2005. Our population comprises the following basic statistics: 69.5% males, 73.9% of traumatic origin, the receiving region was the lower members in 73.9% of the cases. Age ranged form 6 to 64 years old, average 32 years. The minimum follow up was of 5 (five) months. The procedure was successful in 100% of the cases. The flap length dimension ranged from 9 cm up to 20 cm, with average 14 cm. The flap width dimension ranged from 3 cm up to 8 cm, with average 5.5 cm. The greater distance from the lateral epicondyle up to the end of the skin flap in this study was of 8 cm, ranging from 2 cm up to 8 cm, with 4.9 cm average. The microsurgical lateral arm flap, distally to lateral epicondyle showed itself to be safe for cutaneous covering of lesions of 20 cm or less length and 10 cm of less width, with the distal extension of the skin flap up to 8 cm from the lateral epicondyle

Objetivos: Avaliar se o comprimento do pedículo do retalho miocutâneo de peitoral maior assim como seu alcance para diversos sítios da região cervicofacial são influenciados por dados antropométricos e pelo lado de dissecção do retalho. O trabalho busca também determinar se a rotação infraclavicular proporciona ganho significativo quanto ao alcance do retalho em comparação à rotação supraclavicular. Delineamento: Estudo prospectivo anatômico em cadáveres e em pacientes tipo transversal. Materiais: Foram estudados 50 retalhos miocutâneos de peitoral maior em 25 cadáveres adultos não formolizados com menos de 24 horas de óbito fornecidos pelo Serviço de Verificação de Óbitos da Universidade de São Paulo e, a seguir, 15 pacientes submetidos à reconstrução de defeitos cervicofaciais com este retalho. Métodos: Padronizou-se em todos os casos estudados uma ilha de pele quadrangular, medindo 8x6 cm (altura x largura) localizada sobre a porção esternocostal do músculo peitoral maior, medialmente ao mamilo e tendo como limite caudal a borda superior da sétima costela. Todos os retalhos foram baseados apenas no ramo peitoral da artéria toracoacromial e a rotação foi realizada inicialmente sobre a clavícula. O comprimento do pedículo foi medido após a rotação, do ponto médio clavicular até o nível da borda superior da ilha de pele. Testou-se o alcance do centro da ilha de pele do retalho para as seguintes regiões: proeminência laríngea da cartilagem tireoide, mento, ângulo da mandíbula, conduto auditivo externo e órbita. Analisou-se a relação do comprimento do pedículo e do alcance do retalho com dados antropométricos e com o lado de dissecção. Posteriormente, realizou-se a rotação do retalho por baixo da clavícula apenas nos cadáveres e testou-se novamente seu alcance para as mesmas regiões, comparando com os resultados da rotação supraclavicular. Resultados: Nos cadáveres, o comprimento do pedículo apresentou um valor médio de 17,67 ± 2,24 cm, já para os pacientes, encontramos uma média de 16,03 ± 1,35 cm. Todos os retalhos obtiveram alcance para todas as regiões estudadas, com exceção da órbita, que foi alcançada nos cadáveres em 20 casos por rotação supraclavicular (40%) e 21 casos por rotação infraclavicular (42%). Nos pacientes, a óbita foi alcançada em 13,3% dos casos. Nos cadáveres, a rotação infraclavicular não apresentou ganho significativo para o alcance à órbita (p=0,839 - qui-quadrado) nem para as outras regiões estudadas, embora tenha havido um ganho de 0,61 cm na média do comprimento do pedículo, dado com significância estatística (p=0,01; pela Correlação de Person). Considerando os cadáveres, na análise univariada, foi observado que houve diferença estatisticamente significativa para o alcance do retalho à órbita em indivíduos com maior distância acrômiotrocantérica - DAT (p= 0,008 - teste \"t\" de Student), maior distância biacromial - DBA (p= 0,024 - teste \"t\" de Student) e menor valor da razão entre a distância mastoide-fúrcula esternal pela distância acrômio-trocantérica - DMF/DAT (p= 0,005 - teste \"t\" de Student). Também se observou que os cadáveres cujos retalhos alcançaram a órbita, apresentavam peso estatisticamente superior (p=0,036 - teste \"t\" de Student). Em relação ao comprimento do pedículo, na análise univariada, houve correlação positiva e estatisticamente significativo entre o comprimento do pedículo e a distância biacromial - DBA (r= 0,311; p= 0,028 - correlação de Pearson); correlação negativa e também significativo com a razão entre a distância mastoide-fúrcula esternal pela distância biacromial - DMF/DBA (r= -0,362; p= 0,010 - correlação de Pearson) e com a razão entre a distância mastoide-fúrcula esternal pela distância acrômio-trocantérica - DMF/DAT (r= -0,403; p= 0,004 - correlação de Pearson). Já nos pacientes, a análise univariada mostrou correlação positiva e estatisticamente significativo entre o comprimento do pedículo e o comprimento do esterno - CE (r= 0,722; p= 0,002 - correlação de Sperman) e correlação negativa e também significativo com a razão entre a distância mastoide-fúrcula esternal pelo comprimento do esterno - DMF/CE (r= -0,587; p= 0,021 - correlação de Sperman). Com os resultados obtidos nesta última análise, as variáveis nos pacientes com p < 0,20 foram submetidas à análise multivariada por modelo de regressão linear, visando estabelecer as variáveis que podem determinar o comprimento do pedículo vascular do retalho. Desta forma, identificou-se o comprimento do esterno como a única variável capaz de determinar o comprimento do pedículo vascular do RMPM (p=0,004). Com base nestes dados de regressão, foi então estabelecida uma equação capaz de determinar o comprimento do pedículo vascular do RMPM (COMP) baseada no comprimento do esterno, como demonstrada a seguir: COMP = 2,54 + 0,64 X CE. Conclusões: A rotação infraclavicular do retalho miocutâneo de peitoral maior não proporciona ganho no alcance do retalho em relação à região cervicofacial em comparação à rotação supraclavicular; o alcance do retalho miocutâneo peitoral maior não é influenciado pelo lado de dissecção e por dados antropométricos; o comprimento do pedículo vascular não é influenciado pelo lado de dissecção, mas sofre influência positiva do comprimento esternal. Apesar do alcance do retalho não sofrer influência de dados antropométricos, por este modelo anatômico infere-se que a equação determinante do comprimento do pedículo pode, na prática clínica, contribuir para o planejamento de reconstruções utilizando o retalho miocutâneo de peitoral maior, sobretudo para defeitos mais craniais / Objectives: Determine whether the length of the pectoralis major myocutaneous pedicled flap and its ability to reach multiple head and neck sites are influenced by anthropometric data and by the side of flap dissection. The study is also designed to determine whether infraclavicular rotation provides a significant gain in flap reach over supraclavicular rotation. Design: Prospective, cross-sectional and anatomical study on cadavers and patients. Materials: Fifty pectoral major myocutaneous flaps were studied in fresh adult cadavers less than 24 hours after death provided by the Serviço de Verificação de Óbitos of the University of São Paulo, and later in 15 patients undergoing head and neck reconstruction using this flap. Methods: For all cases a standardized quadrangular skin island measuring 8 cm x 6 cm (height x width) was employed, located over the sternocostal portion of the major pectoralis muscle, with the nipple as the medial limit and the muscle\'s inferior border as the caudal limit. All flaps were based only on the pectoralis branch of the thoracoacromial artery and the rotation was initially performed over the clavicle. Pedicle length was measured after rotation, from the midpoint of the clavicle to the superior border of the skin island. The reach of the skin island center was tested to the following sites: laryngeal prominence of the thyroid cartilage, chin, angle of the mandibule, external auditive canal and orbit. Ratios of the length of the pedicle and the reach of the flap and the anthropometric data and dissection side were analyzed. Afterwards, only in the cadavers, the flap was rotated beneath the clavicle and its reach to the same regions was measured again, and then compared to the result obtained from supraclavicular rotation. Results: In the cadavers, the average pedicule flap length was 17.67 ± 2.24 cm, while for the patients, the average length was 16.03 ± 1.35 cm. All flaps reached all studied sites, except for the orbit, which was reached in 20 cases by supraclavicular rotation (40%), and in 21 cases beneath the clavicle (42%) in the cadavers, and in 13.3% of the patients. In the cadavers, infraclavicular rotation did not result in a significant gain in reach to the orbit or to any other studied site (P=0.839 - chi-square), although there was a statistically significant (p=001; Pearson Correlation) gain of 0.61 cm in the average length of the flap. In the univariate analysis, there was a statistically significant difference in the cadavers for the reach of the flap to the orbit in individuals with a greater acromion-trochanter distance (DAT; p= 0.008 - Student\'s t-test), greater biacromial distance (DBA; p= 0.024 - Student\'s t-test) and a smaller value for the ratio of the mastoidsuprasternal notch distance over the acromion-trochanter distance - DMF/DAT (p= 0.005 - Student\'s t-test). It was also observed that the cadavers whose flaps reached the orbit had statistically higher body weights (p=0.036 - Student\'s t-test). With regard to the length of the flap, in the univariate analysis, there was a positive and statistically significant correlation between the length of the flap and the biacromial distance - DBA (r= 0.311; p= 0.028 - Pearson correlation); a negative and statistically significant correlation with the ratio of the mastoid-suprasternal notch distance over the biacromial distance - DMF/DBA (r= -0.362; p= 0.010 - Pearson correlation) and with the ratio between the mastoid-suprasternal notch distance over the acromion-trochanter distance - DMF/DAT (r= -0.403; p= 0.004 - Pearson correlation). Whereas in the patients, the univariate analysis showed a positive and statistically significant correlation between the length of the flap and the length of the sternum (CE) (r= 0.722; p= 0.002 - Spearman correlation) and a negative and statistically significant correlation with the ratio between the mastoidsuprasternal notch distance over the length of the sternum - DMF/CE (r= - 0.587; p= 0.021 - Spearman correlation). With the results obtained in this last analysis, the variables in the patients with p < 0.20 were submitted to multivariate analysis using linear regression in an effort to establish an equation to predict the length of the vascular flap. Sternum length (p=0.004) was the only variable found that was capable of determining the length of the vascular pedicle of the PMMC flap. Based on these regression data, an equation was formulated to determine the length of the vascular pedicle of the PMMC flap (COMP) based on the length of the sternum (CE), as follows: COMP = 2.54 + 0.64 X CE. Conclusions: Infraclavicular rotation of the pectoral major myocutaneous flap does not add to the reach of the flap to the head and neck region as compared to supraclavicular rotation; the reach of the pectoral major myocutaneous flap is not influenced by the side of the dissection or by anthropometric measures; and the length of the vascular pedicle is not influenced by the side of dissection, but is positively influenced by sternum length. Although anthropometric measures do not influence the reach of the flap according to this anatomical model, it can be inferred that the determinant equation of the length of the pedicle can, in practice, contribute to the planning of head and neck reconstruction using the pectoral major myocutaneous flap, especially for more cranial defects