Healing of microvascular anastomoses. A comparative study using normal and irradiated recipient vessels for...

A comparative study was undertaken to evaluate the possible effect of previous radiotherapy on the healing of subsequently performed microvascular anastomoses between irradiated recipient vessels and normal flap vessels in rabbits. Radiotherapy was given preoperatively to a single anterior neck field using a Cobalt 60 unit, 1.25 MeV, SSD 80 cm in a fractionated dose corresponding to 5,000 rad/5 weeks. An experimental model using paired data was established using two epigastric free island flaps in each animal: one anastomosed to the irradiated vessels (carotid artery and jugular vein) and the other anastomosed to the normal opposite femoral vessels. Results did not show any marked difference in the healing pattern during the first 3-week period postoperatively except for a higher rate of thrombosis, when irradiated recipient vessels were used in end-to-end anastomoses, while no difference in healing pattern or rate of thrombosis were found using telescoped arterial anastomoses.