CLINICAL, OUTCOME OF DIGITAL REPLANTATION USING THE FIBRIN GLUE-ASSISTED MICROVASCULAR ANASTOMOSIS TECHNIQUE

A series of 36 digital replants is reported in which microvascular ana stomoses were each performed with four to six stitches and topically a pplied fibrin glue. Thirty-two digits survived, comparable to survival with conventional microvascular anastomosis. The average operative ti me per replanted digit was 3.2 hours, considerably less than documente d with standard replantation technique (4.5 hours per digit). These cl inical findings indicate that fibrin glue-assisted microvascular anast omosis does not compromise replant outcome and can reduce the operativ e time by reducing the number of microsutures that need to be placed i n each anastomosis.