MICROVASCULAR (vessels 3 mm or less are generally considered to satisfy the term "microvascular") anastomosis techniques have opened up new avenues of approach to transplantation and reconstructive surgery. The major problems precluding successful anastomosis of these minute blood vessels have involved the surgical technique and the tendency of thrombosis at the anastomotic site. The use of the operating microscope and recent innovations in suture materials and surgical instruments have all but eliminated the technical difficulties. Successful anastomosis may now be carried out on vessels 1 mm in diameter; however, postoperative thrombosis at the site of anastomosis, especially in veins, still poses a problem.
There are several ways to anastomose small vessels; these techniques include: suture, staple, ring-pin, adhesive-electrocoaptive, and cuff ligature. For arteries in the microvascular range, the suture technique with magnification appears best.
The purpose of this paper is to describe the method of microvascular suture anastomosis, discuss the