title: Comparison of continuous and interrupted suture techniques in microvascular anastomosis.
abstract: We evaluated the efficacy of the continuous suture technique (CST) in arteries and veins with varying external diameters (ED). In study 1 a direct end-to-end anastomosis was performed in 5 groups of animals (n = 15 in each group): group 1, rabbit carotid artery (ED, 1.8-2.0 mm); group 2, rabbit femoral artery (ED, 1.4-1.6 mm); group 3, rat femoral artery (ED, 0.7-0.9 mm); group 4, rabbit femoral vein (ED, 2.0-2.2 mm); and group 5, rat femoral vein (ED, 1.0-1.2 mm). In study 2 a graft from the femoral vein was interposed into the carotid artery, with a ratio of the diameter of graft to artery of 1.3:1 in the rats (group 6, n = 12) and 1:1 in the rabbits (group 7, n = 12). In each animal the vessel on one side was repaired using CST and the opposite vessel using the interrupted suture technique. Vessel samples were harvested 1, 2, and 4 weeks after anastomosis. The CST significantly reduced anastomosis time by up to 47% in arteries and 41% in veins. Bleeding time and blood loss were also significantly reduced with CST. Similar results were found in study 2. The total thrombosis rate was 8%, but no significant patency difference was noted between the CST and the interrupted suture technique in any vessel category. We conclude that the CST is a reliable and time-saving procedure in microvascular anastomosis of arteries with diameters greater than 0.7 mm and of veins with diameters greater than 1.0 mm.
authors: Orthopaedic Microsurgery Laboratory, Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
authors: Y X
authors: YX
authors: Chen
authors: L E
authors: LE
authors: Chen
authors: A V
authors: AV
authors: Seaber
authors: J R
authors: JR
authors: Urbaniak
mesh_terms: D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008866:Microsurgery; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013536:Suture Techniques; D014654:Vascular Patency