Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30505765›Full record

ArticleGland surgery2018

The effect of CT angiography and venous couplers on surgery duration in microvascular breast reconstruction: a single operator's experience.

Ledibabari Mildred Ngaage, Georgette Oni, Bruno Di Pace, Raed Rafat Hamed, Laura Fopp, Brendan Chuj Koo, Charles Musonda Malata

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Gland surgery, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Ledibabari Mildred NgaageSchool of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Georgette OniPlastic & Reconstructive Surgery Department, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK.
Bruno Di PacePlastic & Reconstructive Surgery Department, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK.
Raed Rafat HamedFaculty of Medicine, University of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt.
Laura FoppPlastic & Reconstructive Surgery Department, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK.
Brendan Chuj KooDepartment of Radiology, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK.
Charles Musonda MalataPlastic & Reconstructive Surgery Department, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe use of CT angiography (CTA) or venous couplers (VCs) has led to shorter operative times in free flap breast reconstruction (FFBR). However, there are no reports on the effect of these two interventions relative to each other or combined.

methodsAbdominal based FFBRs performed by a single surgeon before introduction of either intervention were compared to those with VC only, and those after the addition of CTA to VCs (CT-VC). Operative time was defined as from "knife-to-skin" to insertion of the last stitch.

resultsOne hundred and twenty patients; 40 without intervention (WI), 40 with VC, and 40 with CT-VC. Introduction of VCs did not significantly reduce operative time compared to WI (P=0.73). However, patients in the CT-VC group had significantly shorter operations

conclusionsCombination of CTA and VC significantly reduced operative and ischaemic times for FFBR; this was predominantly due to use of CTA. CTA mitigates the surgical learning curve as demonstrated by shorter operating times via providing a vascular anatomy roadmap, thus facilitating flap harvest.

Indexed as

Computed tomography angiography (CTA)deep inferior epigastric perforator flap (DIEP flap)microvascular breast reconstructionoperative timevenous coupler (VC)

Identifiers

PMID30505765
PMCPMC6234237

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.