The effect of the design and the direction of cutaneous flaps in the phenomenon of delay: an experimental study on rabbits
Arranz López, J.L.; Suárez Nieto, C.; Barthe, P.
Acta Otorrinolaringologica Espanola 47(1): 9-13
1996
ISSN/ISBN: 0001-6519 PMID: 8645499 Document Number: 460919
The effectiveness of two-stage surgery was studied in several skin-flap models in rabbits. The first group (n = 8) of 7 cm x 2 cm skin flaps perpendicular to major regional blood vessels became necrotic after the first stage of surgery. In the second group (n = 16) of 4 cm x 2 cm skin flaps, survival was no better in the two-stage group (n = 8) than in controls (n = 8). In the third group (n = 32) of 7 cm x 2 cm skin flaps parallel to major blood vessels, survival was better (p < 0.001) in the two-stage subgroup (n = 16). We conclude that effective two-stage skin-flap surgery requires the use of narrow skin flaps that are parallel to major blood vessels.