The importance of arterial inflow in the distal side of a flap: an experimental investigation.
Using abdominal skin flaps in experimental rats, we created flaps that exhibited relatively constant necrosis in the distal side. The existence of arterial inflow had a marked effect on the survival of the distal part of these flaps. We postulate that the so-called delay mechanism produces the arterial inflow as a consequence, although how this occurs is still unsolved. We suggest the possibility that a large flap may be transposed in one stage with vascular anastomosis in the distal part--preferably artery and vein, or artery only.
D000005:Abdomen; D000818:Animals; D001158:Arteries; D006085:Graft Survival; D008297:Male; D009336:Necrosis / Q000209:etiology; D051381:Rats; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D014680:Veins