New capillary bed formation with a surgically constructed arteriovenous fistula.
This study on 24 rats has demonstrated that neovascularization of the skin through an arteriovenous fistula is possible. A vascular bed can be created by the use of long interpositional vein grafts. An arteriovenous fistula in the shape of a loop could not only provide vascularity to create a skin flap of unlimited size but could possibly vascularize a digital replantation with severely damaged vessels and provide enough additional vascularity to facilitate the take of bone grafts and tissue composites.
D000818:Animals; D001166:Arteriovenous Shunt, Surgical; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000601:surgery; D005268:Femoral Vein / Q000601:surgery; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D051381:Rats; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology; D013524:Surgical Flaps