VIABILITY AND VERSATILITY OF ARTERIALIZED VENOUS PERFUSION FLAPS AND PREFABRICATED FLAPS - AN EXPERIMENTAL-STUDY IN RABBITS

The purpose of this study was to investigate the viability of two type s of unconventional flaps: 1) the arterialized venous perfusion (AVP) flap; and 2) the prefabricated flap. Four experimental groups were stu died: an AVP flap group with assessment of the viability of single and paired flaps nourished by the same vascular pedicle; a prefabricated flap group with the abdominal flap pedicled on the epigastric artery a nd vein; a prefabricated flap group in which the flap was supplied by an arterialized vein graft (A-V shunt), and paired flaps of different designs, but based on the same vascular pedicle, were investigated; an d a free composite graft group. Survival of the skin flaps exceeded 92 percent in each group, except in the free composite group which showe d complete necrosis. Results of the study validated that flap viabilit y was independent of flap size (large or small), type (AVP flap or pre fabricated flap), and the number of flaps on each vascular pedicle (si ngle or paired).