One of the aims of several reconstructive surgical procedures is to achieve a patent microvascular anastomosis. Developing clinical competency in this specialized skill requires intensive training on live animal models as a first step. The early training stage of microvascular anastomosis can be stressful for novices. This is because the rat vessels used in such training courses are usually too small and fragile for novices to maintain the vascular lumen in an optimal fashion. Throughout this paper, the authors discuss the use of a silicone tube to provide structural support to vessels throughout the entire precarious suturing process. Using this modified version of the conventional microvascular anastomosis technique may facilitate initial skill acquisition in the rat model.

Reference

Zheng YD, Corvi JJ, Nicolas CF, Akelina Y. Novel approach using a silicone tube to assist microsurgical anastomosis training in animal models. Int Microsurg J 2020;4(1):1. [View Article]