Expansion of venous flaps: an experimental study in rats.
In this study, the effects of controlled tissue expansion on the survival of unipedicled venous flaps were investigated in rats. In three groups of Lewis rats, a 3 x 6 cm unipedicled Lateral thoracic venous flap was studied with group 1 as control group (n = 30) without any manipulation, group 2 (n = 30) where an expander was introduced under the flap area but was not expanded and group 3 (n = 30) in which a 40 ml expander was introduced under the flap area and was expanded over a period of 10 days. Observations included gross and histological examination, reverse microangiography, reverse flow resistance and percentage of survival of flaps. Group 3 (expanded) showed more angiogenesis, a better delineation on microangiography, lower reverse flow resistance and higher survival rates as compared to group 2 (non-expanded). In the control group the survival rate of flaps was the poorest and the flaps showed higher rates of reverse flow resistance. Microangiography was not successful in the control group. In a pilot project prior to this experiment microscopic examination of the Lateral thoracic vein in 10 Lewis rats had confirmed the presence of two or three valves in this vein.
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Nagasaki University School of Medicine, Japan.
M
M
Mutaf
Y
Y
Tasaki
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T
Fujii
D000792:Angiography; D000818:Animals; D004108:Dilatation, Pathologic / Q000473:pathology; D006085:Graft Survival; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology; D015626:Tissue Expansion; D014655:Vascular Resistance