title: Monitoring microcirculatory changes in the deep inferior epigastric artery perforator flap with laser Doppler perfusion imaging.
abstract: Microcirculatory changes were monitored in 20 deep inferior epigastric artery perforator (DIEAP) flaps during unilateral breast reconstruction until the seventh postoperative day using laser Doppler perfusion imaging. Measurements were recorded according to the zonal classification by Scheflan and Dinner. The cutaneous territory zone IV was discarded during insetting due to marginal circulation. The highest perfusion levels were found the first postoperative day for both zones I and III. Postoperative perfusion values were significantly higher for these zones compared with zone II. Immediately after revascularization, zone I was significantly better perfused than both II and III. However, the perfusion in zone III stabilized at the level of zone I in the postoperative phase. Evaluating microcirculatory changes in the DIEAP flap with laser Doppler perfusion imaging showed that zones I and III have higher perfusion levels than zone II in the postoperative phase.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway. tygetindtindholdt@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Tyge Tind
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Tindholdt
authors.forename: Said
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saidian
authors.forename: Are Hugo
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Pripp
authors.forename: Kim Alexander
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Tønseth
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019074:Epigastric Arteries / Q000502:physiology / Q000637:transplantation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry; D016462:Mammaplasty / Q000379:methods*; D008408:Mastectomy; D008833:Microcirculation; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply*