Noninvasive assessment of microvessels with the duplex scanner.
This study was undertaken to determine if a duplex scanner equipped with a new 10 MHz probe could accurately evaluate microvascular anastomotic patency. The overall predictive accuracy of the duplex scanner was 90% (p less than 0.0001) with no difference noted among the three main anastomotic groups examined--acute artery, acute vein, and long-term artery. There was, however, a statistically significant difference (p less than 0.05) in the ability to interpret vessels that were patent (100%) versus those that were partially occluded (73%) or occluded (88%). It is believed that the duplex scanner has potential applications to preoperatively and intraoperatively study microvessels and postoperatively to supplement other techniques in monitoring acute and long-term anastomotic patency.
Dooley
T W
TW
Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Missouri Health Sciences Center, Columbia 65212.
Welsh
C F
CF
Puckett
C L
CL
D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D000818:Animals; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000473:pathology; D005268:Femoral Vein / Q000473:pathology; D006083:Graft Occlusion, Vascular / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011817:Rabbits; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014654:Vascular Patency