• Archives of Plastic Surgery
• /
• v.32 no.3
• /
• pp.319-326
• /
• 2005

This study was designed to investigate the optimal period of pedicles implantation in the prefabricated periosteofascial flap using a vascular tissue transfer. Flap prefabrication was prepared with a transposition of the central pedicles of right auricle on the calvarium of the New Zealand white rabbit. Thirty flaps were divided into five groups of six flaps, including control group (group I) of the conventional periosteofascial flap based on the right lateral border of parietal bone. The prefabricated flap was elevated as a $2{\times}2cm$ sized island flap and reposed in place in 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks after the pedicles transfer in groups II, III, IV, and V, respectively. Five days after flap repositioning, the flap viability and vascularity were evaluated with microangiography and histological study quantitatively. The flap survival was increased in accordance with the implanted period of the pedicle. New vessels developed around the implanted pedicle in the 2nd week, and overall vascularization of the flap was accomplished in the 3rd week. The flap with 4 weeks of implantation period, however, showed the same survival rate as the control group. In conclusion, prefabricated periosteo- fascial flap can be created with a vascular tissue transfer, and the optimal duration of the pedicle implantation is more than 4 weeks to obtain adequate flap survival.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.93-100
• /
• 2004

This study was designed to investigate the optimal period of pedicles implantation in the prefabricated periosteofascial flap with a vascular tissue transfer. The flap prefabrication was prepared with a transposition of left occipital pedicles on the calvarial fascia of male Sprague-Dawley rats. Thirty flaps were divided into five groups of six flaps, including control group (group I) of the conventional periosteofascial flap based on the lateral border of the rat calvarium. The prefabricated flap was elevated as an $1{\times}1cm$ sized island flap based on the implanted pedicle at 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks after the pedicles transfer in groups II, III, IV, and V, respectively. After the completion of creating a critical-sized calvarial defect and implanting with hydroxyapatite granules, the flap was sutured back for covering the defect and kept isolated from surrounding tissues. Six weeks after flap repositioning, the osseous changes of the defect were examined with simple radiographic findings, radiodensitometric analysis, and histological studies. By simple radiographic findings, specimens of the control, groups IV and V showed homogeneous radioopacity within the defect. But in groups II and III, focal radiolucency was observed in the defect. In the radiodensitometric analysis, the control group and the group V showed significant increased radiodensites statistically. Histologically, the implanted hydroxyapatite was absorbed partly in the defect in groups II, III, and IV. In the defects of the control group and the group V, the implanted hydroxyapatite was kept in its volume and the deposition of the bone cells was observed sparsely. In conclusion, the prefabricated periosteofascial flap can be created with a vascular tissue transfer and the pedicles should be implanted at least for 4 weeks to bring out positive osseous changes in the calvarial defect.