Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and clinical significance of the new method for microvascular anastomosis.
Methods: Between February 2013 and May 2013, 108 patients aged 31 to 73 years underwent free flap reconstruction of the defects as a result of resection of oralmaxillofacial tumors. Of 108 patients, 78 were men and 30 were women. The cases were divided into experimental group(46 flaps) and control group (63 flaps) according to different methods of microvascular anastomosis.Isometric double notches end to end microvascular anastomosis was used for artery anastomosis in experimental group, conventional end to end anastomosis was used for artery anastomosis in control group and venous anastomosis was performed in both groups.
Results: The entire procedure of artery anastomosis took (7.3 ± 1.7) min in experimental group, (14.5 ± 2.6) min in control group, the difference between the two groups was significant (P = 0.00). There was only one venous compromise which was complete failure in experimental group. There were two venous compromise and one artery compromise in control group, and one of the venous compromise was a complete failure.
Conclusions: The isometric double notches end to end microvascular anastomosis proved successful and clinically feasible with advantages of fixed-point accuracy, time-saving and high patency rate.