Free flap transplantation in mice.
A new model is presented that adapts the standard experimental groin free flap model to the mouse. The femoral vessels upon which the microvascular anastomoses are based are very small (0.2-0.4 mm diameter in the artery), making this a technically challenging exercise. A 100% patency was achieved for flap replantation in ICR (outbred) mice. Success rates for flap transplantation in Balb/C (syngeneic) mice rose from 20 to 75% with modification of the anastomoses from end-to-end to end-to-side procedures. This model offers new avenues of investigation when combined with recently developed transgenic mouse models.
Cooley
B C
BC
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, USA.
Daley
R
R
D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000601:surgery; D005268:Femoral Vein / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply; D014654:Vascular Patency