In vivo vascular freezing in clinical microvascular transfer

Free flap transfer to the lower limb in chronic post-traumatic conditions is known to have a higher complication rate, with flap loss in up to 10% of cases, due mainly to the recipient vessels (Godina: Plast Reconstruct Surg 78:285–291, 1986]). The dissection of these vessels often leads to refractory spasm, due to the so-called perivascular post-traumatic disease (PVPTD) (Khouri [Clin Plast Surg 19:773–785, 1992]). A case is presented of the use of a fairly new spasmolytic maneuver, i.e., in vivo vascular freezing, in a patient who developed intractable spasm of the recipient artery. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.