title: Flushing the vessel ends: the effect on ischemic free flap survival.
abstract: During vascular anastomosis of experimental ischemic free flaps it is common to observe that stagnant blood in the vessel ends has clotted. A study was performed to investigate if flushing away the stagnant blood on division of the vessels would increase flap survival. Flushing did not influence flap survival. Clinically, clot is rarely seen, except in conditions of prolonged ischemia or damaged vessels. Current surgical practice does not involve flushing the vessel ends upon division of the vessels and this approach is affirmed by our results.
authors.affiliation: Microsurgery Research Centre, St. Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: H P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Giele
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ritz
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Morrison
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: O'Brien
mesh_terms: D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D000818:Animals; D001158:Arteries / Q000601:surgery; D006085:Graft Survival; D011817:Rabbits; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply*; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D014680:Veins / Q000601:surgery