Late Patency of Clinical Microvascular Anastomoses to Free Composite Tissue Transplants: I. Angiographical Aspects

Abstract

In a series of sixty-five free composite tissue transplantations by means of microsurgical techniques, 37 transplantations were performed to recipient sites in the lower extremity in 34 patients. Twenty-eight of these patients with 31 composite transplants were examined by femoral arteriography to assess the patency of 33 arterial anastomotic lines 6–45 months, median 12 months, postoperatively. Angiography showed patency in 32 of 33 arterial anastomotic lines, one arteriography being inconclusive. The results suggest that microsurgical techniques in small vessel anastomosis (ext. diam, 3/4-3 1/2 mm) are essential prerequisites for long-term vascular patency.