Technique to Re-establish Continuity of the Recipient Artery After End-to-End Anastomoses in Cross-Leg Free Flap Procedure

Abstract

In this report, a simple technique is described to restore the continuity of the recipient artery in cross-leg free flap procedure after end-to-end anastomoses. In the first stage, the latissimus dorsi flap was revascularized by end-to-end anastomosis between the posterior tibial artery of the noninjured leg and the thoracodorsal artery of the flap. After 4 weeks of neovascularization period, in the second stage when the pedicle was to be divided, the thoracodorsal artery was dissected until its bifurcation in the muscle, transected, and rerouted to the distal ligated end of the posterior tibial artery, accomplishing a simple end-to-end anastomosis between these two vessel ends. Thus, the continuity of the recipient artery was re-accomplished by replacing the normally discarded segment of the flap's arterial pedicle as an arterial graft, the patency of which was demonstrated clinically and by Doppler examination. The authors believe that this technique provides further benefit to the patient by accomplishing vascular flow through a major lower limb artery when the reconstructive pathway involves an end-to-end anastomosis in a cross-leg free flap procedure.