Gluteus maximus neural-island flap model in the rat.

Abstract

Flaps that are supplied solely by intrinsic vasculatures of the nerves have been introduced; however, clinical applications of the muscle flaps have not been performed. Our aim in this study was to develop a neural-island muscle flap model. The study was composed of anatomic investigations (part I, n = 8), creation of the neural-island muscle flap model (part II, n = 40), and augmentation of the flap (part III, n = 20). After part I, we concluded that the gluteus maximus would be the most effective muscle for our model. In part II, gluteus maximus muscles were isolated on their motor nerves in 20 rats and, in the remaining 20, were harvested as grafts. A delay procedure was applied in part III.Average viability percentages of the graft group, acutely elevated group, and delayed group were 0.0% +/- 0.0%, 25.1% +/- 6.4% and 96.1% +/- 7.8%, respectively. This study provides a reliable muscle flap model that can be created as pedicled by the intrinsic vasculature of its motor nerve.