title: The possibility and potential feasibility of putting an extra functioning free muscle transplant onto a normal limb: experimental rat study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Functioning free muscle transplantation is currently and popularly used clinically to restore motor deficit caused by traumatic muscle loss or chronic muscle denervation. However, no one uses functioning free muscle transplantation in a normal subject who has no motor deficit. This study was designed to investigate the possible and potential feasibility of transferring an extra free muscle transplant onto a normal limb.
  
  
  METHODS
  A chimeric flap including biceps muscle with its neurovascular pedicles and a skin perforator flap was designed, harvested, and transferred from a Lewis inbred rat to the other rat overlying the original biceps following neurovascular repair where the ulnar nerve was chosen as the neurotizer. Sixteen rats were operated on and evaluated 6 months after surgery. Outcome measurements included arm circumferences, electrophysiologic studies, elbow flexion force, and muscle mass. The contralateral normal biceps was used as the control.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All outcome measurements revealed that the extra muscle transfer resulted in significant increases in size and function of the operative limb without interfering with the original biceps function.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The authors' study demonstrates the possible and potential application of using extra free muscle transplantation for functional and aesthetic augmentation purposes in a normal subject.
authors.affiliation: Taoyuan, Taiwan From the Department of Plastic Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung Medical College and University.
authors.forename: David Chwei-Chin
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.forename: Kuang-Te
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005121:Extremities / Q000601:surgery; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D058752:Free Tissue Flaps / Q000098:blood supply / Q000294:innervation*; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006085:Graft Survival; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000294:innervation / Q000601:surgery*; D009929:Organ Size; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous