PREFABRICATED VENOUS FLAPS - AN EXPERIMENTAL-STUDY IN RABBITS

Prefabrication is a method for creating donor flaps by implantation of a nourishing pedicle prior to harvesting the flap. Based on the concept that implantation of a ''flow-through'' vein results in sufficient vascularisation to support a skin flap, we used a rabbit model to investigate the viability of prefabricated total venous perfusion (TVP) flaps. Prefabrication of an abdominal wall donor site was performed using the left epigastric vein in 25 male New Zealand white rabbits. An 8 x 10 cm skin flap was elevated 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 weeks after prefabrication (n = 5 per group). A silicone sheet was implanted under the skin flap. The mean survival rate of the skin flaps was 24 %, 52 %, 87 %, 83 %, 84 %, respectively. Results of this study show that reproducible survival of a prefabricated TVP flap can be obtained when the flap is elevated more than 3 weeks after prefabrication.