Vascularized transplant of the rectus abdominis muscle
Sánchez de Badajoz, E.; Cilveti Puche, A.; Miguélez Lago, C.
Archivos Espanoles de Urologia 39(9): 583-589
1986
ISSN/ISBN: 0004-0614 PMID: 2950830 Document Number: 283748
New techniques in vascularized muscle grafting and the experience acquired from testicular autotransplant prompted the authors to study a new muscle graft obtained by dissecting the epigastric vessels from their origin to the level of the umbilicus. At that level, rectus muscle of any size or shape can be resected and because it has a vascular pedicle of some 20 cm., it can be transferred to a distant recipient site without a need to perform microsurgical vascular anastomoses. It has many applications; i.e., closure of vesicovaginal fistulae, sphincter repair or penile reconstruction following amputation. Anatomic studies were performed in cadavers. Posterior animal experiments revealed that full vascularization is conserved by the graft at one month. Furthermore, the experiments have shown no compromise to the abdominal wall.