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Flushing the vessel ends: The effect on ischemic free flap survival
Author(s) -
Giele Henk P.,
Ritz Morris,
Morrison Wayne A.,
O'Brien Bernard Mcc.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
microsurgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.031
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1098-2752
pISSN - 0738-1085
DOI - 10.1002/micr.1920151111
Subject(s) - flushing , medicine , anastomosis , blood vessel , surgery , ischemia , skin flap , cardiology , endocrinology
During vascular anastomosis of experimental ischemic free flaps it is common to observe that stagnant blood in the vessel ends has clotted. A study was performed to investigate if flushing away the stagnant blood on division of the vessels would increase flap survival. Flushing did not influence flap survival. Clinically, clot is rarely seen, except in conditions of prolonged ischemia or damaged vessels. Current surgical practice does not involve flushing the vessel ends upon division of the vessels and this approach is affirmed by our results. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.