title: Long-term Patency of Primary Arterial Repair and the Modified Cold Intolerance Symptom Severity Questionnaire.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The goal of this study was to assess the long-term arterial patency of repaired arteries in the upper extremity and any morbidity resulting from the subsequent occlusion of these vessels. Concurrently, a new questionnaire, the modified Cold Intolerance Symptom Severity (mod CISS) questionnaire, was developed to allow for better assessment of cold intolerance.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirteen patients who had undergone repair of the radial (4 patients), ulnar (6 patients), brachial (1 patient), digital (1), and an undefined lower arm artery (1) were examined using questionnaires, physical examination, and high-resolution ultrasound.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Outcome measures that were statistically significantly worse in the group of patients who presented with nerve injuries included cold intolerance symptoms, Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand score, Michigan Hand Questionnaire, and grip strength (middle setting on dynamometer). The results from the mod CISS correlated with high statistical significance with the results of the CISS score for the injured hand. Of note, wrist extension was significantly better with patent arteries.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sixty-seven percent of arterial repairs remained patent at 6 years (mean) follow-up. The presence of nerve injury has a higher impact on the outcome metrics assessed in this study than arterial patency. Our modification of the CISS score enhances its utility as a survey of cold intolerance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Department of Plastic Surgery, UPMC, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Center for Ultrasound Molecular Imaging and Therapeutics, Department of Medicine and Heart and Vascular Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh School of Engineering, Pittsburgh, Pa.; McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa.; and Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa.; and Department of Plastic Surgery, UPMC Mercy Center for Nerve Disorder, Pittsburgh, Pa.
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lannau
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Department of Plastic Surgery, UPMC, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Center for Ultrasound Molecular Imaging and Therapeutics, Department of Medicine and Heart and Vascular Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh School of Engineering, Pittsburgh, Pa.; McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa.; and Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa.; and Department of Plastic Surgery, UPMC Mercy Center for Nerve Disorder, Pittsburgh, Pa.
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bliley
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Department of Plastic Surgery, UPMC, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Center for Ultrasound Molecular Imaging and Therapeutics, Department of Medicine and Heart and Vascular Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh School of Engineering, Pittsburgh, Pa.; McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa.; and Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa.; and Department of Plastic Surgery, UPMC Mercy Center for Nerve Disorder, Pittsburgh, Pa.
authors.forename: Isaac B
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: James
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Department of Plastic Surgery, UPMC, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Center for Ultrasound Molecular Imaging and Therapeutics, Department of Medicine and Heart and Vascular Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh School of Engineering, Pittsburgh, Pa.; McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa.; and Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa.; and Department of Plastic Surgery, UPMC Mercy Center for Nerve Disorder, Pittsburgh, Pa.
authors.forename: Sheri
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Department of Plastic Surgery, UPMC, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Center for Ultrasound Molecular Imaging and Therapeutics, Department of Medicine and Heart and Vascular Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh School of Engineering, Pittsburgh, Pa.; McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa.; and Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa.; and Department of Plastic Surgery, UPMC Mercy Center for Nerve Disorder, Pittsburgh, Pa.
authors.forename: Wesley
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sivak
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Department of Plastic Surgery, UPMC, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Center for Ultrasound Molecular Imaging and Therapeutics, Department of Medicine and Heart and Vascular Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh School of Engineering, Pittsburgh, Pa.; McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa.; and Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa.; and Department of Plastic Surgery, UPMC Mercy Center for Nerve Disorder, Pittsburgh, Pa.
authors.forename: Kang
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Department of Plastic Surgery, UPMC, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Center for Ultrasound Molecular Imaging and Therapeutics, Department of Medicine and Heart and Vascular Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh School of Engineering, Pittsburgh, Pa.; McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa.; and Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa.; and Department of Plastic Surgery, UPMC Mercy Center for Nerve Disorder, Pittsburgh, Pa.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fowler
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Department of Plastic Surgery, UPMC, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Center for Ultrasound Molecular Imaging and Therapeutics, Department of Medicine and Heart and Vascular Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh School of Engineering, Pittsburgh, Pa.; McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa.; and Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa.; and Department of Plastic Surgery, UPMC Mercy Center for Nerve Disorder, Pittsburgh, Pa.
authors.forename: Alexander M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Spiess