Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 18, 2025
Development of a Murine Model for Femoral Artery Anastomotic Stenosis
Published on: April 18, 2025
Microvascular anastomotic arterial coupling: A systematic review.
Georgios Pafitanis1, Marios Nicolaides2, Edmund Fitzgerald O'Connor3
1Group for Academic Plastic Surgery, The Blizard Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK; Department of Plastic Surgery, Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK; Department of Orthoplastics Surgery, Kings College Hospital, London, UK; Department of Plastic Surgery, Emergency Care and Trauma Division, The Royal London Hospital, Bart's Health NHS Trust, London, UK.
Microvascular coupler devices show a 92.1% success rate in arterial anastomosis, but microsurgeons hesitate due to vessel characteristics. This review offers guidance on their use in microsurgery.
Area of Science:
- Microsurgery
- Vascular Surgery
- Surgical Devices
Background:
- Microsurgeons face challenges using coupler devices for arterial anastomosis due to vessel wall thickness, calcification, and geometric discrepancies.
- This review examines the applications, effectiveness, and troubleshooting of microvascular coupler devices in end-to-end arterial connections.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review the current literature on microvascular coupler devices in arterial end-to-end anastomosis.
- To synthesize data on their applications, efficacy, and identify common challenges and solutions.
Main Methods:
- A systematic literature review was conducted in November 2020, adhering to PRISMA guidelines.
- Data from 20 selected studies involving 1639 patients and 1794 anastomoses were analyzed.
Main Results:
- The overall success rate for arterial coupler anastomoses was 92.1% (617/670).
- Complications or failures occurred in 8% (53/670) of arterial anastomoses, particularly in extremity reconstructions.
- Coupler use was most prevalent in head and neck (351) and breast (117) reconstructions.
Conclusions:
- Arterial coupling is not widely adopted, primarily used in head/neck and chest reconstructions, with a reported 92.1% efficacy.
- Microsurgeons' reluctance stems from inherent arterial properties, necessitating specific recommendations for device use.
- The study provides practical 'do's and don'ts' for microvascular arterial coupling.
