Natural history of digital replantation: A 12-year prospective study

✍ Scribed by Dr. B. Povlsen; G. Nylander; E. Nylander

• Book ID: 102511590
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1995
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 277 KB
• Volume: 16
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0738-1085
• DOI: 10.1002/micr.1920160304

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the fate of the digital arterial anastomoses, resting total digital blood flow, and cold‐induced discomfort following digital replantation with two repaired arteries. The evaluation was done with a Doppler ultrasound of the anastomoses, temperature recording from the finger pulp at room temperature, and a questionnaire regarding the patient's impression of cold‐induced discomfort. At the 2‐year follow‐up all anastomoses were patent, but in two of the six patients one anastomosis was occluded at the 12‐year follow‐up. The replanted digits generally showed lower skin temperatures compared with controls at the 2‐year follow‐up but these had normalized 10 years later, even in digits with one of the two repaired arteries occluded. The number of patients with severe cold‐induced discomfort was unchanged during the observation period. Conclusions: The digital flow continues to increase after the first 2 years after replantation and may reach normal levels at room temperature; however, cold‐induced discomfort is not normalized. Total blood flow improvement is not affected by late arterial occlusion. © 1995 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.