"Open y" technique in vessel diameter discrepancy.

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Microsurgery
• Vascular Surgery

Background:

• Free tissue transfers are fundamental in modern plastic surgery.
• Vessel diameter discrepancy is a frequent complication in microvascular anastomosis.
• This discrepancy can negatively impact the patency of the anastomosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and evaluate the "open y" technique for managing vessel diameter discrepancies in microvascular anastomosis.
• To assess the efficacy and safety of the "open y" technique in clinical practice.

Main Methods:

• The "open y" technique involves creating a "y" shape from a vessel (artery, vein, or vein graft) to increase its diameter.
• Microscissors are used to join the two legs of the "y" shape.
• The technique was initially tested on rat and sheep cadaver models before clinical application.

Main Results:

• The "open y" technique was successfully applied to nine patients with microvascular anastomosis diameter discrepancies.
• This method effectively eliminated the size mismatch between vessels.
• No flap loss was reported in any of the treated patients, indicating a high success rate.

Conclusions:

• The "open y" technique is a viable and effective solution for managing vessel size discrepancies in microvascular anastomosis.
• Its ease of application and high success rate make it suitable for various reconstructive scenarios in plastic surgery.
• The technique can be applied to recipient vessels, donor vessels, and vein grafts to optimize outcomes.