title: End-to-side anastomosis for limb salvage in the single artery of a traumatized extremity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this article is to describe and highlight our experience of end-to-side anastomosis technique in such cases for limbs salvage in the single artery of a traumatized extremity with free-flap transfer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-two traumatized patients in need of free-flap transfer for their extremity reconstruction were referred to our hospital from March 2006 to November 2008. Angiography was performed in all patients. A single artery was confirmed in 11 cases (Gustilo IIIC). End-to-side anastomosis was applied for limb salvage in single-artery extremity reconstruction, such as preserving recipient's flow and preserving donor's flow in 11 patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The anastomosis arteries included the popliteal artery (n=3), posterior tibial artery (n=2), peroneal artery (n=5) and radial artery (n=1). The mean time from the injury to the flap reconstruction was 34 days. All patients had severe fracture or bone deficit plus soft tissue defect. Postoperative hospital stay was 12-18 days. Time interval between the injury and referral was 27-45 days. Split thickness skin graft was performed in eight patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Free-flap transfer by end-to-side anastomosis for limb salvage with a single artery is a safe procedure, so a vein graft and T and Y shape anastomosis are not necessary.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Microsurgery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Ghazisaidi
authors.forename: Naser
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mozafari
authors.forename: Masoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yavari
authors.forename: Seyed Nejat
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Hosseini
mesh_terms: D000059:Accidents; D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003444:Crush Syndrome / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D023821:Limb Salvage / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D009049:Motorcycles; D011150:Popliteal Artery / Q000601:surgery; D011167:Portacaval Shunt, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D017534:Radial Artery / Q000601:surgery*; D013524:Surgical Flaps