Atypical arteriole anastomoses for fingertip replantations under digital block☆
Received 9 July 2006; accepted 28 November 2006. published online 02 February 2007.
Summary
Reconstructive microsurgery is now in a new stage of supermicrosurgery. With this technique, very tiny (0.3mm) vascular anastomoses are possible. In this paper, we describe two cases of successful fingertip replantations employing arteriole (terminal branch of digital artery) anastomoses, the arteriole graft being obtained from the same fingertip defect, reverse arteriole flow to subdermal venule, and delayed venular drainage for venous congestion. These atypical tiny vascular anastomoses were successfully carried out under digital block.
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan
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☆ This work was presented in part at the 47th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, in Tokyo, on 7 April 2004, and the 8th International Course on Perforator Flaps in Sao Paulo, on 6 September 2004.
ABSTRACT