Arteriovenous Vascular Loop Using a Bifurcated Greater Saphenous Vein

• Published in: Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open Vol. 10; no. 1; p. e4036
• Main Authors: Cavadas, Pedro C, Baklinska, Magdalena, Almoguera-Martinez, Alejandro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 18.01.2022; Wolters Kluwer
• Subjects: Case Report; Reconstructive
• ISSN: 2169-7574; 2169-7574
• DOI: 10.1097/GOX.0000000000004036

High-energy lower limb trauma may result in complex defects with extensive vascular damage. Free flap reconstruction in these cases may require vein grafts to reach healthy proximal recipient vessels. Vascular loops are an increasingly popular technique in managing recipient vessels in reconstructive microsurgery, especially in the lower limb. The use of an entire omega segment of the greater saphenous vein had not been described before but offered two advantages: the caliber match for arterial repair was better using one of the limbs of the omega compared with the parent greater saphenous vein, and it allowed two venous anastomoses instead of one. A case report of a fully bifurcated segment of the greater saphenous vein as a vascular loop for microvascular reconstruction in the lower limb is presented. To the best of the authors' knowledge, no similar case has been reported previously.