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Updated: May 2, 2026

A Pre-clinical Rat Model for the Study of Ischemia-reperfusion Injury in Reconstructive Microsurgery
Published on: November 8, 2019
Description of a new experimental model skin flap for studying skin viability in rats
Cristina Pires Camargo1, Nelson Fontana Margarido2, Eduardo Guandelini3
1University of Sao Paulo, School of Medicine, Sao PauloSP, Brazil, Fellow PhD degree, Postgraduate Program in Medicine Surgical Clinics, School of Medicine, University of Sao Paulo (USP), Sao Paulo-SP, Brazil. Surgical procedures, acquisition of data, manuscript writing.
Purpose:
To describe a new experimental flap for studying skin viability in rats.
Methods:
Twenty male Wistar rats weighing between 250-300g were divided into two groups: group A - McFarlane technique, a 4 x 10cm flap was used (McFarlane); and in group B modified McFarlane technique, a 3 x 10cm flap was used. Seven days later, the animals were sacrificed and the area of necrosis was evaluated in both groups.
Results:
Group A presented necrosis in 3% of the total area of the flap (CI: 0.01-0.05), Group B presented necrosis in 37% of the total area of the flap (CI: 0.29-0.46), (p<0.001).
Conclusion:
The modified McFarlane flap presented a larger area of necrosis and could be an adequate experimental model of skin flap viability.

