Patency after repair of forearm arterial injuries in animal models.

Repairs of single artery forearm injuries have only a 50% patency rate. The single artery repairs in the forelimbs of the 10 dogs and 42 rabbits studied in this investigation also had patency rates of approximately 50%. The collateral arteries appeared to be a factor causing the low patency rate since ligating them increased the patency of the repaired vessels, and because arteriograms showed dilation of existing collaterals after occlusion of the repaired artery. Pressure and compliance measurements made before the repair were not able to predict patency. Furthermore, attempts to improve the patency rate by temporarily clamping the collateral artery or by denervating the injured artery were not successful.