J Reconstr Microsurg 2005; 21(7): 477-482
DOI: 10.1055/s-2005-918903
Copyright © 2005 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc., 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Effect of VEGF on Tail Artery Interpositional LOOP (TAIL) Flap: A Rodent Model for Flap Prefabrication

William G. Stebbins1 , Cathy Fan1 , Lester Silver1 , Jin K. Chun1
  • 1Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, NY
Further Information

Publication History

Accepted: June 21, 2005

Publication Date:
30 September 2005 (online)

ABSTRACT

The authors introduce an experimental model of flap prefabrication, the tail artery interpositional loop (TAIL) flap. In this model, an arterial segment from a rat tail is used to create an arteriovenous (A-V) fistula. This fistula is positioned beneath the abdominal skin flap to vascularize the overlying tissue, and a barrier of Silastic sheeting is placed below the fistula to prevent vascular ingrowth from the underlying bed. The efficacy of this new model was tested by investigating the effect of a single topical application of recombinant human VEGF165. Treatment and control groups each contained 20 animals. In the control group, mean survival skin areas at 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks were 12.5 percent, 27 percent, 35 percent, and 50 percent, respectively. In the VEGF165-treated group, survival rates were 14.8 percent, 37 percent, 48 percent, and 74.3 percent, respectively. Statistically significant differences were noted between the two groups at the 2-week (p = 0.047), 3-week (p = 0.048), and 4-week (p = 0.023) time intervals. The authors conclude that the TAIL flap is a novel and useful animal model to study flap prefabrication.

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Jin K ChunM.D. 

Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Box 1259

Mount Sinai Medical Center, One Gustave L. Levy Place

New York, NY 10029