A modified free gracilis flap in the rat

We present in this paper the use of a combined neurovascularized flap of gracilis muscle and inguinal skin in the rat with the femoral vessels and obturator nerve serving as the pedicles. The epigastric, saphenous, and muscular branch vessels arising from the femoral vessels were preserved, and a portion of adductor magnus muscle was included in the flap to protect the delicate muscle vessels at their origins. The inguinal skin and muscle flap both had independent blood supplies, thus separate assessment of muscle and skin rejection was possible in the single transplanted "packet." The muscle flap with the reconnected motor nerve regained contractile ability upon nerve stimulation within 30 days after the iso-transplantation. The results suggest that the modified gracilis myocutaneous flap provides an ideal model for transplantation research.