Neuromuscular and neuromusculocutaneous flaps in the rat

SummarySince the introduction of flaps based on the vascular structures of the cutaneous nerves, these have gained increasing popularity in reconstructive surgery. The purpose of this study is to describe a new concept in which the flap is supplied solely by the intrinsic vasculature of a motor nerve. A total of 94 Wistar rats weighing 200–250 g were used in this experiment, which was divided into three sections. In section I, the neural anatomy of the posterior thigh region was investigated. In section II, the flap study using experimental and control groups, was performed. In the experimental group neuromuscular and neuromusculocutaneous flaps were created. The biceps femoris muscle was harvested based solely on its motor nerve as a neuromuscular flap, and together with its overlying skin it was similarly raised as a neuromusculocutaneous flap. In the control group, conventional muscle and musculocutaneous flaps were harvested based on the caudal femoral-popliteal artery vascular axis, and a graft subgroup was created ligating both the constant vascular structure and the motor nerve. In section III, with the intention of augmenting the survival areas of neuromuscular and neuroumusculocutaneous flaps, a surgical delay procedure was applied. On postoperative day 7, the viability of all flaps was evaluated using direct observation, microangiography, and tetrazolium blue stain techniques.The results of the anatomic studies demonstrated a consistent motor nerve arising from the sciatic nerve to the biceps femoris muscle with evident perineural vasculature. Average muscle viability levels of neuromuscular, neuromusculocutaneous, delayed neuromuscular, delayed neuromusculocutaneous, conventional muscle and musculocutaneous flaps were 20.6±7.58, 22.4±4.21, 86.4±6.14, 85±4.21, 89.6±4.48, and 88.0±5.51%, respectively. Survival levels of the skin paddles of the neuromusculocutaneous, delayed neuromusculocutaneous, and conventional musculocutaneous flaps were calculated as 13±17.51, 67±30.29, and 97±4.21%, respectively. In the graft subgroup the viability of muscle and skin paddle was almost nil.In conclusion, our new flap model in a favored laboratory animal is of benefit to researchers in providing a means for future various types of investigations into this new concept. The technique might be considered in further experimental research studies and appropriate clinical situations.