ABSTRACT
There is much controversy in the literature about the effect of blood stasis on the
patency rate following microvascular repair. Sixty Sprague Dawley rats underwent transection
and repair of their femoral arteries. The rats were divided into three groups, which
had their repaired arteries clamped for VA, 1 1/2, and 2 1/2 hours. Patency was evaluated
by the “stripping test,” and the presence of a “flicker” both immediately and on the
second day of the experiment. At the time of evaluation on the second day, all arteries
in Group I were patent, in Group II two were thrombosed and in Group III, five out
of 20 thrombosed. The only significant statistical difference was found between Groups
I and III in both immediate (p < 0.0025) and second day (p < 0.05) evaluations. Results indicate that the “safe limit” for blood stasis in a
repaired artery of 0.8 mm diameter is 1 1/2 hours.
