Turkish Neurosurgery
Microvascular anastomosis using only 2-throw reef knots-: A technical note
Nupur Pruthi1, Dhaval Gohil1, Sampath Somanna1
1NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH AND NEUROSCIENCES, NEUROSURGERY, BANGALORE,
DOI: 10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.22636-18.2

In macrosurgery creating a knot with at least three throws is an established practice. The potential disadvantages of this practice in microsurgery include the following: the direction of the cut ends interfere with the suture line, unbalanced nature of knot disturbs the apposition of delicate vessel ends and the excessive knot weight. A reef knot with only 2 throws may thus be a better alternative. We have described our technique of end to end anastomosis with 2-throw reef knots in a rat femoral artery model using one way up method. Judging from the surgical outcome the practice of two throw reef knot seems feasible and appealing.

Corresponding author : Nupur Pruthi