M. Mutaf et al., IS BED ISOLATION NECESSARY DURING FLAP PREFABRICATION - AN EXPERIMENTAL-STUDY IN RATS, Annals of plastic surgery, 33(4), 1994, pp. 392-400
This study was designed to investigate whether isolation of the bed is
necessary during flap prefabrication. A fasciovascular carrier was us
ed to prefabricate a 3 x 8-cm epigastric flap in rats. The animals wer
e divided into three groups of 42 each. During flap prefabrication, in
group 1 (control), no bed isolation was done, whereas in groups 2 and
3, a thin silicone sheet was used to isolate the underlying bed from
the flap and fasciovascular carrier partially or completely, respectiv
ely. In each group, 14 prefabricated flaps were raised at 3, 7, and 14
days after prefabrication. Flap survival was assessed at day 7 after
flap elevation. In comparing to the survival rates of the prefabricate
d flaps for each time interval, there was no significant statistical d
ifference between the control and experimental groups (p > 0.05). With
further studies, including india ink injection study and microangiogr
aphical and histological examinations of the prefabricated flaps, it w
as concluded that, during flap prefabrication, isolation of the bed wi
th a silicone sheet does not improve the survival of prefabricated ski
n flaps. Moreover, it may cause some complications, such as extensive
seroma, infection, and exposure of the sheet, which further interfere
with the evaluation of experimental results.