Survival after replantation

Over a seven-year period in one unit performing replantation surgery 63 parts were replanted in 49 patients with an overall survival rate of 60%, which represents a worthwhile salvage of tissue otherwise not available for reconstruction. As the median operation time was eight hours (range 5-22) the implication of providing such prolonged operative procedures on the resources of the Health Service must be seriously considered. Yet there is a failure of awareness among the medical profession of the possibilities of such treatment, and potentially viable parts may be being discarded.