The neurovenous (or adiponeurovenous) epigastric flap in the rat

Abstract

This study was carried out in order to investigate the survival of the neurovenous flap in 30 Wistar rats. An inferior epigastric flap model was used. In addition to this, a preliminary study was performed to assess small vessels in the loose areolar tissue of the neurovascular pedicle in six rats. Although failing to reach statistical significance, our best results were noted in the groups where the vascular axis in the perivascular tissue was included in the flap. The vascular axis of the epigastric nerve did not support a flap survival.