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Bed isolation in experimental flap studies in rats: a dispensable procedure
Sina Heimer1, Amelia Schaefer, Wolf Mueller
1ETHIANUM-Clinic for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Aesthetic and Preventive Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.
Annals of Plastic Surgery
|October 6, 2012
Summary
Separating a flap from its wound bed using a silicone sheet in rodent models did not affect flap survival but altered molecular healing pathways. This wound bed isolation is considered dispensable for studying physiological wound healing.
Area of Science:
- Surgical Research
- Wound Healing Biology
- Experimental Surgery
Background:
- Rodent experimental flap models show varied surgical techniques, including flap isolation from the wound bed.
- The impact of wound bed isolation on physiological healing processes remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of a silicone sheet barrier on physiological wound healing in experimental flap surgery.
- To determine if wound bed isolation influences flap survival, perfusion, microvessel density, and gene expression.
Main Methods:
- An epigastric adipocutaneous flap was raised in Lewis rats, with one group receiving a silicone sheet barrier (group M) and the control group (group C) not.
- Flap survival, perfusion, CD31-positive microvessel density (immunohistochemistry), and gene expression (RT-PCR) were assessed on postoperative day 5.
Main Results:
- Flap survival area and perfusion were similar between groups C and M.
- Group C showed significantly higher CD31-positive microvessel density compared to group M.
- Group M exhibited enhanced expression of proinflammatory genes and suppressed proangiogenic genes.
Conclusions:
- Silicone sheet insertion (wound bed isolation) does not impact flap survival or perfusion but induces significant molecular alterations in wound healing.
- These artificial changes obscure the natural healing mechanisms, suggesting wound bed isolation is unnecessary for studying physiological wound healing in rodent flap models.
