FLAP PREFABRICATION USING THE VASCULAR CRANE PRINCIPLE - AN EXPERIMENTAL-STUDY AND CLINICAL-APPLICATION

Techniques for tissue transfer have continued to evolve. Free flap prefabrication represents a further progression of well known plastic surgery principles in the arena of tissue transfer. This report presents an experimental study demonstrating that the repeated use of a vascular pedicle to prefabricate flaps in the rabbit is possible. There is a decrease in flap viability with the second transfer. A clinical case using this repeated transfer or ''Crane'' principle is also reported. We conclude that the repeated use of a vascular pedicle to prefabricate multiple flaps is a viable option in selected cases.