title: A new experimental flap design: the saphenous artery periosto-fasciocutaneous flap of the rat.
abstract: Vascularized periosteal graft is a frequently applied flap model for bone prefabrication studies due to its inhabitance of osteoprogenitor cells and osteoinductive potential. Various bones such as rib and fibula are reported as a potential source for the harvest of the periosteal flap in experimental studies on higher species such as dogs and pigs, which necessitates a rather complicated and expensive experimental setting. Therefore a reliable and inexpensive small animal model on vascularized periosteal flaps is necessary for future research. A new saphenous artery based periosto-fasciocutaneous flap model in rats is described here, which is easily dissected and monitorized. In this experimental study, 15 male Sprague Dawley rats were operated and killed following a 3-month-long follow-up period . The histological analysis revealed heterotopic osteoneogenesis in 12 of 15 flaps (80%), whereas 14 flaps (93.3%) exhibited signs of angioneogenesis originating from the periostofasciocutaneous flap. The presented flap model promises to be an appropriate alternative for new studies where bone prefabrication methods are evaluated.
authors.affiliation: Marmara Üniversitesi Hastanesi, Plastik ve Rekonstrüktif Cerrahi A.D., Fevzi Çakmak mahallesi, Pendik, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bayramiçli
authors.forename: Burak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ersoy
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sirinoğlu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016025:Bone Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D006085:Graft Survival; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000502:physiology; D023421:Models, Animal; D010521:Periosteum / Q000637:transplantation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply*; D016909:Tibial Arteries / Q000601:surgery / Q000637:transplantation*; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology*