Dataset Information

Quantifying Blood Flow in the DIEP Flap: An Ultrasonographic Study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The maximum weight of tissue that a single perforator can perfuse remains an important question in reconstructive microsurgery. An empirically based equation, known as the flap viability index (FVI), has been established to determine what weight of tissue will survive on one or more perforators. The equation is FVI = Sum d(n)^4/W, where d is the internal diameter of each perforator and W is the final weight of the flap. It has been shown that if FVI exceeds 10, total flap survival is likely, but if under 10, partial flap necrosis is probable. The aim of this study was to measure absolute flow rates in deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap pedicles and assess correlation with the determinants of the FVI, perforator diameter and flap weight.

Methods

Color Doppler ultrasound was used to quantify arterial flow in 10 consecutive DIEP flap pedicles 24 hours after anastomosis.

Results

In single-perforator DIEP flaps, flow rate was highly correlated with perforator diameter (r = 0.82, P = 0.01). Mean arterial flow rate was significantly reduced in DIEP flaps with 2 or more perforators (6 vs 38 cm(3)/min; P < 0.05).

Conclusions

This study confirms that perforator size is a critical factor in optimizing blood flow in perforator-based free tissue transfer. Further research is required to understand the flow dynamics of perforator flaps based on multiple perforators. However, surgeons should be cognizant that a single large perforator may have substantially higher flow rates than multiple small perforators. Routine FVI calculation is recommended to ensure complete flap survival.

SUBMITTER: Dusseldorp JR

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4236373 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Quantifying Blood Flow in the DIEP Flap: An Ultrasonographic Study.

Dusseldorp Joseph Richard JR Pennington David G DG

Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open 20141001 10

<h4>Background</h4>The maximum weight of tissue that a single perforator can perfuse remains an important question in reconstructive microsurgery. An empirically based equation, known as the flap viability index (FVI), has been established to determine what weight of tissue will survive on one or more perforators. The equation is FVI = Sum d(n)^4/W, where d is the internal diameter of each perforator and W is the final weight of the flap. It has been shown that if FVI exceeds 10, total flap surv ...[more]

PMID: 25426345

Similar Datasets

Project description:Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) develop thrombotic abnormalities strongly associated with cardiovascular diseases. In addition to the changes of numerous coagulation factors such as elevated levels of thrombin and fibrinogen, the abnormal rheological effects of red blood cells (RBCs) and platelets flowing in blood are crucial in platelet adhesion and thrombus formation in T2DM. An important process contributing to the latter is the platelet margination. We employ the dissipative particle dynamics method to seamlessly model cells, plasma, and vessel walls. We perform a systematic study on RBC and platelet transport in cylindrical vessels by considering different cell shapes, sizes, and RBC deformabilities in healthy and T2DM blood, as well as variable flowrates and hematocrit. In particular, we use cellular-level RBC and platelet models with parameters derived from patient-specific data and present a sensitivity study. We find T2DM RBCs, which are less deformable compared to normal RBCs, lower the transport of platelets toward the vessel walls, whereas platelets with higher mean volume (often observed in T2DM) lead to enhanced margination. Furthermore, increasing the flowrate or hematocrit enhances platelet margination. We also investigated the effect of platelet shape and observed a nonmonotonic variation with the highest near-wall concentration corresponding to platelets with a moderate aspect ratio of 0.38. We examine the role of white blood cells (WBCs), whose count is increased notably in T2DM patients. We find that WBC rolling or WBC adhesion tends to decrease platelet margination due to hydrodynamic effects. To the best of our knowledge, such simulations of blood including all blood cells have not been performed before, and our quantitative findings can help separate the effects of hydrodynamic interactions from adhesive interactions and potentially shed light on the associated pathological processes in T2DM such as increased inflammatory response, platelet activation and adhesion, and ultimately thrombus formation.

Project description:BACKGROUND:The authors investigated aesthetic outcome and patient satisfaction in women who have undergone deep inferior epigastric artery perforator (DIEP) flap reconstruction in the setting of postmastectomy radiotherapy. Patients who underwent DIEP flap reconstruction without postmastectomy radiotherapy were the control group. METHODS:Participants who had undergone DIEP flap reconstruction between September 1, 2009, and September 1, 2014, were recruited, answered the BREAST-Q, and underwent three-dimensional surface-imaging. A panel assessed the aesthetic outcome by reviewing these images. RESULTS:One hundred sixty-seven women participated. Eighty women (48 percent) underwent immediate DIEP flap reconstruction and no postmastectomy radiotherapy; 28 (17 percent) underwent immediate DIEP flap reconstruction with postmastectomy radiotherapy; 38 (23 percent) underwent simple mastectomy, postmastectomy radiotherapy, and DIEP flap reconstruction; and 21 (13 percent) underwent mastectomy with temporizing implant, postmastectomy radiotherapy, and DIEP flap reconstruction. Median satisfaction scores were significantly different among the groups (p < 0.05). Post hoc comparison demonstrated that women who had an immediate DIEP flap reconstruction were significantly less satisfied if they had postmastectomy radiotherapy. In women requiring radiotherapy, those undergoing delayed reconstruction after a simple mastectomy were most satisfied, but there was no significant difference between the immediate DIEP flap and temporizing implant groups. Median panel scores differed among groups, being significantly higher if the immediate reconstruction was not subjected to radiotherapy. There was no significant difference in panel assessment among the three groups of women who had received radiotherapy. CONCLUSIONS:Patients who avoid having their immediate DIEP flap reconstruction irradiated are more satisfied and have better aesthetic outcome than those who undergo postmastectomy radiotherapy. In women requiring radiotherapy and who wish to have an immediate or "delayed-immediate" reconstruction, there were no significant differences in panel or patient satisfaction. Therefore, immediate DIEP flap reconstruction or mastectomy with temporizing implant then DIEP flap surgery are acceptable treatment pathways in the context of post-mastectomy radiotherapy.

Dataset Information

Quantifying Blood Flow in the DIEP Flap: An Ultrasonographic Study.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Quantifying Blood Flow in the DIEP Flap: An Ultrasonographic Study.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets