title: A new flap design: prefabricated neuro-osseous flap.
abstract: We hypothesized that an osseous tissue can be prefabricated with a peripheral nerve by vascular induction, and by using a rat model, we tested this hypothesis.Twenty Wistar rats were used in the prefabricated neuro-osseous flap study. Bilateral sciatic nerves were placed linearly within the medullary cavities of the femurs. Left femurs were accepted as the experimental group. The right femurs of all the rats were used as internal control where the sciatic nerves were ligated at the bony entrance of the flap.After 6 weeks, all experimental femur flaps were viable. Radioactivity counts and metabolic activity studies showed viable and functional bone tissue in experimental group compared with control group (P = 0.001). On microangiographic evaluation, significant dilatation of the perineural vasculature was observed in experimental group. Histologic investigations showed viable bone tissue only in the experimental group flaps.Due to its easy applicability, reproducibility, and robust circulation, the prefabricated neuro-osseous flap would be an option in reconstructive surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey. halonka@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Haldun O
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Kamburoğlu
authors.forename: Tunç
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Safak
authors.forename: Umut S
authors.initials: US
authors.lastname: Ersoy
authors.forename: Engin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Öcal
authors.forename: Mustafa K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Evrenos
authors.forename: Erhan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sönmez
authors.forename: Irfan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Peksoy
authors.forename: Pergin
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Atilla
authors.forename: Ayşe
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nur Çakar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016025:Bone Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D005269:Femur / Q000294:innervation / Q000601:surgery*; D006085:Graft Survival; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000294:innervation