title: Use of free interpositional vein grafts as pedicles for prefabrication of skin flaps.
abstract: Pedicles created from a long vein graft increase the scope and applications of prefabricated skin flaps. This study reports the survival and pattern of neovascularization of lower abdominal skin flaps in rabbits based on a pedicle formed by interposition of a long vein graft between the divided ipsilateral femoral artery and vein. Flaps were elevated 2-5 weeks after pedicle implantation and the surviving area quantitated and vascular patterns examined 1 week later. Only 8 out of 35 flaps were greater than 50% alive, the most frequent cause of flap failure being pedicle non-patency. If the pedicle remained patent, complete flap survival was possible as early as 2 weeks after implantation. In non-patent pedicles, recanalization or formation of a new vascular network may, given at least 4 weeks, be sufficient to ensure partial flap survival. The findings indicate that implantation of a long, skeletonized vein graft is an unreliable method of prefabrication of abdominal skin flaps in this model.
authors.affiliation: Microsurgery Research Centre, St. Vincent's Hospital, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Y T
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumta
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Hickey
authors.forename: J V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Hurley
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Morrison
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001166:Arteriovenous Shunt, Surgical; D004423:Ear / Q000098:blood supply; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000601:surgery; D005268:Femoral Vein / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D011817:Rabbits; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000379:methods* / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014680:Veins / Q000637:transplantation*