Published in:
01-08-2012 | Original Paper
Assessment and interpretation of capillary refill in clinical evaluation of flap perfusion are subject to a lag time
Published in: European Journal of Plastic Surgery | Issue 8/2012
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Background
A reliable assessment of the vascular perfusion of flaps in the postoperative period can be challenging. Clinical assessment of capillary refill is an integral component of this evaluation.
Methods
Ten consecutive patients undergoing abdominoplasty were studied. The resected pannus was brought to the back table and assessed for capillary refill every 5 min. The time elapsed from complete resection until the last refill was observed and recorded.
Results
Our findings somewhat surprisingly show that capillary refill continues for an average of 75 min in an abdominoplasty specimen after its complete separation from its blood supply.
Conclusion
We believe that capillary refill is testing the patency of the capillary microcirculation rather than the actual perfusion of the flap. This limits the value of capillary refill in the clinical evaluation of flaps.
Level of Evidence: Level III, diagnostic study.