Nutrient blood flow in delayed axial pattern skin flaps in pigs.

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Vascular Biology
• Tissue Engineering

Background:

• Skin flap survival is crucial in reconstructive surgery.
• The 'delay phenomenon' is a known but not fully understood process influencing flap viability.
• Optimizing blood flow is key to preventing flap necrosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the impact of delay intervals on skin flap blood flow.
• To investigate the temporal dynamics of the delay phenomenon.
• To correlate blood flow changes with tissue survival in a porcine model.

Main Methods:

• Investigated blood flow in 112 skin flaps (84 delayed, 28 undelayed) in 28 pigs.
• Utilized quantitative methods to measure blood flow over varying delay intervals.
• Assessed tissue survival in relation to blood flow measurements.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant increase (P < 0.001) in blood flow was observed with longer delay intervals.
• Maximal blood flow was achieved at one week post-delay, correlating with increased tissue survival.
• Sustained elevated blood flow was noted even after definitive flap elevation.

Conclusions:

• The circulatory adjustments within the first week post-delay define the delay phenomenon.
• The delay phenomenon is critical for determining the ultimate viability of skin flaps.
• This study provides quantitative evidence supporting the role of the delay phenomenon in enhancing flap survival.