Experimental reimplantation utilizing microvascular anastomosis in animals

The use of the operating microscope and special microsurgical instruments make it possible to achieve successful anastomosis of blood vessels of less than 1 mm in diameter. Microvascular surgery offers newer possibilities in the transplantation of dermisfat grafts, and has led to an unusually high degree of success in the reimplantation of tissues. This paper describes a technique for microvascular anastomosis in animal experiment, using as a model the reimplantation of a completely amputated rabbit ear. In 10 amputated rabbit ears, the central auricular artery with a diameter of 0.5 mm and the two marginal auricular veins with diameter of 0.5-1.0 mm were microsurgically anastomosed. Of the 10 reimplanted ears, 8 survived. The postoperative angiogram showed an unrestricted patency of all the vessels.