Skin viability and wound strength in single and multiple based perforator flaps in an experimental rat model

Our aim was to evaluate the effect of single and multiple based perforator flaps on the skin viability and wound strength in rats. We used 17 Wistar rats in which two symmetrical abdominal flaps were raised around the midline. On one side all major perforators to the flap were left intact, and on the other side only one perforator was retained. After dissection, the flaps were sutured back in their original position. After seven days each rat was killed and the skin viability and wound strength were measured. The multiple based perforator flap had a mean skin viability of 98% compared with 95% in the single based perforator flap (p =0.08). The mean (SD) wound strength was 3.8 (0.9) N in the multiple based perforator flap compared with 3.0 (1.1) N in the single based perforator flap (p =0.02). We conclude that there is significantly greater wound strength at day 7 with the multiple based perforator flap than with the single one.