TY - JOUR
T1 - A model of free tissue transfer
T2 - The rat epigastric free flap
AU - Casal, Diogo
AU - Pais, Diogo
AU - Iria, Inês
AU - Mota-Silva, Eduarda
AU - Almeida, Maria Angélica
AU - Alves, Sara
AU - Pen, Cláudia
AU - Farinho, Ana
AU - Mascarenhas-Lemos, Luís
AU - Ferreira-Silva, José
AU - Ferraz-Oliveira, Mário
AU - Vassilenko, Valentina
AU - Videira, Paula A.
AU - O'Neill, João Erse de Goyri
PY - 2017/1/15
Y1 - 2017/1/15
N2 - Free tissue transfer has been increasingly used in clinical practice since the 1970s, allowing reconstruction of complex and otherwise untreatable defects resulting from tumor extirpation, trauma, infections, malformations or burns. Free flaps are particularly useful for reconstructing highly complex anatomical regions, like those of the head and neck, the hand, the foot and the perineum. Moreover, basic and translational research in the area of free tissue transfer is of great clinical potential. Notwithstanding, surgical trainees and researchers are frequently deterred from using microsurgical models of tissue transfer, due to lack of information regarding the technical aspects involved in the operative procedures. The aim of this paper is to present the steps required to transfer a fasciocutaneous epigastric free flap to the neck in the rat. This flap is based on the superficial epigastric artery and vein, which originates from and drain into the femoral artery and vein, respectively. On average the caliber of the superficial epigastric vein is 0.6 to 0.8 mm, contrasting with the 0.3 to 0.5 mm of the superficial epigastric artery. Histologically, the flap is a composite block of tissues, containing skin (epidermis and dermis), a layer of fat tissue (panniculus adiposus), a layer of striated muscle (panniculus carnosus), and a layer of loose areolar tissue. Succinctly, the epigastric flap is raised on its pedicle vessels that are then anastomosed to the external jugular vein and to the carotid artery on the ventral surface of the rat's neck. According to our experience, this model guarantees the complete survival of approximately 70 to 80% of epigastric flaps transferred to the neck region. The flap can be evaluated whenever needed by visual inspection. Hence, the authors believe this is a good experimental model for microsurgical research and training.
AB - Free tissue transfer has been increasingly used in clinical practice since the 1970s, allowing reconstruction of complex and otherwise untreatable defects resulting from tumor extirpation, trauma, infections, malformations or burns. Free flaps are particularly useful for reconstructing highly complex anatomical regions, like those of the head and neck, the hand, the foot and the perineum. Moreover, basic and translational research in the area of free tissue transfer is of great clinical potential. Notwithstanding, surgical trainees and researchers are frequently deterred from using microsurgical models of tissue transfer, due to lack of information regarding the technical aspects involved in the operative procedures. The aim of this paper is to present the steps required to transfer a fasciocutaneous epigastric free flap to the neck in the rat. This flap is based on the superficial epigastric artery and vein, which originates from and drain into the femoral artery and vein, respectively. On average the caliber of the superficial epigastric vein is 0.6 to 0.8 mm, contrasting with the 0.3 to 0.5 mm of the superficial epigastric artery. Histologically, the flap is a composite block of tissues, containing skin (epidermis and dermis), a layer of fat tissue (panniculus adiposus), a layer of striated muscle (panniculus carnosus), and a layer of loose areolar tissue. Succinctly, the epigastric flap is raised on its pedicle vessels that are then anastomosed to the external jugular vein and to the carotid artery on the ventral surface of the rat's neck. According to our experience, this model guarantees the complete survival of approximately 70 to 80% of epigastric flaps transferred to the neck region. The flap can be evaluated whenever needed by visual inspection. Hence, the authors believe this is a good experimental model for microsurgical research and training.
KW - Anatomy
KW - Animal experimentation
KW - Epigastric artery
KW - Flap
KW - Free flap
KW - Free tissue transfer
KW - Issue 119
KW - Learning
KW - Medicine
KW - Physiology
KW - Rats
KW - Surgical procedures
KW - Teaching
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85011587193&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3791/55281
DO - 10.3791/55281
M3 - Article
C2 - 28117814
AN - SCOPUS:85011587193
SN - 1940-087X
VL - 2017
JO - Journal of Visualized Experiments
JF - Journal of Visualized Experiments
IS - 119
M1 - e55281
ER -