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A
rteriosclerosis with or without critical isch-
emia, trauma, infections, or extensive onco-
logic resections commonly leads to a paucity
of adequate recipient vessels for microvascular
anastomosis. The placement of arteriovenous loops
enables the creation of high-fow and low-resistance
short circuits between distant recipient arteries and
veins.
1–4
The division of an arteriovenous loop before
fap anastomosis establishes two interpositional
vein grafts that can be adjusted to the ideal length
to enable tension-free microvascular anastomosis
(Fig. 1).
5–7
The optimal time for fap anastomosis to
an arteriovenous loop remains controversial.
A recently published meta-analysis yielded a sig-
nifcantly higher rate of major complications and
Disclosure: The authors have no financial dis-
closures. The funding of this study was solely
institutional.
Copyright © 2019 by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons
DOI: 10.1097/PRS.0000000000005386
Dominic Henn, M.D.
Matthias S. T. Wähmann,
M.D.
Miriam Horsch, B.S.
Svetlana Hetjens, Ph.D.
Thomas Kremer, M.D.
Emre Gazyakan, M.D.
Christoph Hirche, M.D.
Volker J. Schmidt, M.D.
Günter Germann, M.D.,
Ph.D.
Ulrich Kneser, M.D.
Ludwigshafen and Heidelberg, Germany
Background: The optimal time for fap anastomosis to an arteriovenous loop
remains controversial. Whether perforator faps and axially vascularized mus-
cle or fasciocutaneous faps lead to comparable outcomes in conjunction with
arteriovenous loops has not been investigated.
Methods: Medical records from 103 patients undergoing arteriovenous loop
reconstruction (76 one-stage and 27 two-stage) between 2007 and 2017 were
reviewed. Postoperative outcomes were compared between one- and two-stage
arteriovenous loop reconstructions and different types of free faps.
Results: Rates of fap thrombosis, major wound complications, and fap fail-
ure did not differ signifcantly between one- and two-stage arteriovenous loop
reconstructions (14.47 percent versus 11.11 percent, p = 1.00; 30.26 percent
versus 25.93 percent, p = 0.67; and 10.53 percent versus 7.41 percent, p = 1.00).
For two-stage arteriovenous loop reconstructions, the time interval between
arteriovenous loop placement and fap anastomosis was a predictor for throm-
botic events (OR, 1.31; p < 0.05). Anterolateral thigh faps in conjunction with
arteriovenous loops showed higher failure rates (33.33 percent) compared
with all other faps (6.59 percent) (p < 0.05) and combined latissimus dorsi
and parascapular faps (0 percent) (p < 0.05). Thrombosis rates were higher in
anterolateral thigh faps (33.33 percent) compared with all other faps (10.99
percent; p = 0.056), and combined latissimus dorsi and parascapular faps (0
percent; p < 0.05).
Conclusions: Two-stage arteriovenous loop reconstructions do not lead to
increased postoperative complications compared to one-stage arteriovenous
loop reconstructions and may be favorable in complicated cases because of
shorter operative times. To avoid an increased thrombosis risk, fap anasto-
mosis should not be delayed beyond 10 days in two-stage arteriovenous loop
reconstructions. Anterolateral thigh faps are less suitable for arteriovenous
loop reconstructions because of higher complication rates. (Plast. Reconstr.
Surg. 143: 912, 2019.)
CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, III.
From the Department of Hand, Plastic and Reconstructive
Surgery, BG Trauma Center Ludwigshafen, and the Depart-
ment of Medical Statistics, University Medicine Mannheim,
University of Heidelberg; and the Ethianum, Clinic for Plas-
tic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Orthopedic Sur-
gery, Partner Hospital of Heidelberg University.
Received for publication March 9, 2018; accepted July 27,
2018.
Presented at the 63rd Annual Meeting of the Plastic Sur-
gery Research Council, in Birmingham, Alabama, May 17
through 20, 2018.
One-Stage versus Two-Stage Arteriovenous Loop
Reconstructions: An Experience on 103 Cases
from a Single Center
RECONSTRUCTIVE