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Natural history of digital replantation: A 12‐year prospective study
Author(s) -
Povlsen B.,
Nylander G.,
Nylander E.
Publication year - 1995
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.1920160304
Subject(s) - replantation , medicine , anastomosis , numerical digit , surgery , blood flow , occlusion , prospective cohort study , doppler ultrasound , ultrasound , radiology , mathematics , arithmetic
The purpose of the study was to evaluate the fate of the digital arterial anastomoses, resting total digital blood flow, and cold‐induced discomfort following digital replantation with two repaired arteries. The evaluation was done with a Doppler ultrasound of the anastomoses, temperature recording from the finger pulp at room temperature, and a questionnaire regarding the patient's impression of cold‐induced discomfort. At the 2‐year follow‐up all anastomoses were patent, but in two of the six patients one anastomosis was occluded at the 12‐year follow‐up. The replanted digits generally showed lower skin temperatures compared with controls at the 2‐year follow‐up but these had normalized 10 years later, even in digits with one of the two repaired arteries occluded. The number of patients with severe cold‐induced discomfort was unchanged during the observation period. Conclusions: The digital flow continues to increase after the first 2 years after replantation and may reach normal levels at room temperature; however, cold‐induced discomfort is not normalized. Total blood flow improvement is not affected by late arterial occlusion. © 1995 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.