MICROVASCULAR TRANSFER OF THE RECTUS-ABDOMINIS MUSCLE AND MYOCUTANEOUS FLAP IN RATS

A rat microvascular tree rectus myocutaneous flap model with a superio r epigastric vessel pedicle is presented. The rectus muscle has a pred ictable ''flow-through'' axial vascular system consisting of superior and interior epigastric vessels anastomosing under the fascial sheath, and six to seven musculocutaneous perforating branches to the skin. T he superior epigastric artery and vein, averaging 0.45 mm and 0.5 mm i n diameter, can be used as the vascular pedicle in muscle or myocutane ous flap transplantation. Eight muscle and 15 myocutaneous flaps were transplanted to the groin. The myocutaneous flaps averaged 3.5 cm by 1 .2 cm in size; the pedicle length averaged 11 mm. The 5 day survival w as 100% for muscle flaps and 67% for myocutaneous flaps. The rectus my ocutaneous flap is believed to be the first true myocutaneous model in the rat. (C) 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.