Microsurgery Tutorials. Lesson 3: Finesse. Mastering The Feel of Microsurgery. Petal Suture

Carl Zeiss Opmi Pico Microscope, various colour filters applied, magnification 20x-50x. Applying the same principles as in the first 2 lessons, we now try to suture a petal. In this setting, finesse is the key word, as the delicate nature of the tissue at hand poses many problems. The arms of the microforceps must guide the needle in but the force applied must not be too great, for it will surely fracture the delicate petal. Also, approximation may yield small holes at the needle entry points due to various conformational possibilities of the petal but large holes are most surely indicative of excess force applied when the knot is tied. For added difficulty, one could try the white mum (chrysanthemum) petal, which has even less thickness than the rose petal, meaning every move must be carefully planned and carried out, as even the blunt tip of the micro-needleholder may damage the structure, posing difficulties even for more experienced microsurgeons. It is also a valuable drill to serve as warm-up for advanced and difficult procedures. More videos to come! Song: Wagner Tannhauser Overture. I do not own or claim authorship for the song.