Delayed prefabricated arterial composite venous flaps: An experimental study in rabbits

Prefabrication of composite arteriovenous flaps with implantation of an aut ologous graft (cartilage) or an alloplastic material (porous polyethylene) was studied in 40 rabbits. Abdominal flaps based on bilateral epigastric pe dicles were elevated. An ear cartilage graft or a porous polyethylene impla nt was inserted under the flap. Two weeks after the operation, 10 flaps wit h cartilage graft and 10 flaps with porous polyethylene were raised, conver ted to arteriovenous flaps, and resutured in place in the experimental grou ps. In the other 20 rabbits of the control groups, the flaps (10 with carti lage graft and 10 with porous polyethylene) were raised and resutured in pl ace as conventional axial flaps. At the end of the second and fourth week p ostoperatively, samples were obtained from the flap tissues (including a pa rt of the graft or implantation material) and were prepared for histologic examination in all rabbits. The viable areas of all flaps were assessed at the end of fourth week after the second operation. The mean survival rates were 99.4%, 99.7%, 99.5% and 99.8% in the arteriovenous and control flaps p refabricated with cartilage graft and the arteriovenous and control flaps p refabricated with porous polyethylene respectively. The features of wound h ealing in the experimental and control groups were similar. The study showe d that arteriovenous perfusion can nourish a prefabricated flap containing an implanted material (autologous or alloplastic) and these P-week delayed composite flaps have a similar survival rate to delayed prefabricated conve ntional axial flaps.