Late patency of clinical microvascular anastomoses to free composite tissue transplants. I. Angiographical aspects.

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.