1457 YEARS OF MICROSURGICAL EXPERIENCE

Microsurgery is a relatively new field of surgery involving various me thods and practices that are currently evolving. Our goal was to regis ter the current practices employed by the members of the American Soci ety for Reconstructive Microsurgery. A survey was mailed to the 319 me mbers of the society, resulting in a response rate of 33 percent (106 of 319). The data reflect the combined experience of 10,839 free-tissu e transfers and 3487 digital and upper and lower extremity replants ov er a 43-year period between 1990 and 1994. Practices employed, such as pharmacologic adjuvant therapy, monitoring techniques, flap types, an d success rates reported by the members of the American Society for Re constructive Microsurgery, were analyzed.