title: A clinical audit on the effect of suction drainage on microvascular anastomosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are reports that thrombosis in microsurgically anastomosed vessels occurred after the vessels were drawn into the suction drains.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the effects of suction drainage on microvascular anastomosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors compared the proportion of complications in 77 patients who had suction drainage (n=45) or no suction drainage (n=32) with microvascular free flap surgery in the head and neck region. Ultrasonography and Doppler flow ultrasonography were performed on five more patients 3 days after the operation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant differences between the two retrospectively evaluated groups for incidence of postoperative complications. Ultrasound in the prospective study group revealed that vessels were neither sucked into the suction drain nor displaced towards the drain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings contravened the reports of vessels being sucked into drains and therefore the clinical use of suction drainage in conjunction with microsurgery in the head and neck region is still advocated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Dresden University Hospital, Germany.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lauer
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dibah
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schmelzeisen
mesh_terms: D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D006801:Humans; D008485:Medical Audit; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008866:Microsurgery; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013396:Suction / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply*; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology*; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler