Thermocouple probe monitoring for free tissue transfer, replantation, and revascularization procedures.

As the field of microsurgery has expanded over the past decade, the need for a reliable method to monitor the patency of microvascular anastomoses has become increasingly evident. Thermocouple probe monitoring for free tissue transfer, replantation, and revascularization procedures has been done at the Massachusetts General Hospital over the past four years. The authors explain how this method of tissue viability monitoring can be a practical and useful adjunct to clinical surveillance in these complex methods of reconstruction.