Sheep hemifacial and auricular transplantation models: an anatomic study

Area of Science:

• Surgical Innovation
• Transplantation Immunology
• Anatomical Research

Background:

• Limited large animal models exist for composite face and auricular transplantation.
• Large animal models are crucial for studying immunosuppression and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) in allotransplantation.
• Existing models do not adequately address composite auricular transplantation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish and validate novel large animal models for hemifacial and auricular transplantation in sheep.
• To explore the feasibility of dissecting and defining vascular territories for these composite flaps.
• To assess the vascular supply of these proposed transplantation models.

Main Methods:

• Anatomical dissection of ten cadaver sheep heads.
• Definition of vascular territories for hemifacial and auricular flaps.
• Vascular assessment using methylene blue staining and laser-assisted indocyanine green (ICG) angiography.

Main Results:

• Hemifacial and auricular flaps can be harvested on a shared vascular pedicle (common carotid artery and jugular vein).
• Methylene blue dye confirmed a robust vascular network within the flaps.
• ICG angiography successfully visualized the vascular territories of both hemifacial and auricular flaps.

Conclusions:

• Successfully established new sheep cadaver models for hemifacial and auricular transplantation.
• Demonstrated adequate vascularization of these composite flaps via laser-assisted angiography.
• Introduced valuable new models for vascular composite allotransplantation research.