Experimental study of delay of venous island flaps.

Abstract

If a stable and reliable venous island flap can be elevated, it may enable us to make various flaps everywhere on the body surface by using subcutaneous veins. We have carried out an experimental study to investigate the possibility of increasing the survival area of a venous island flap by a delay procedure. In a proximally based venous island flap, survival area increased when a delay procedure was used, especially with ligation of the distal vein. In a distally based venous island flap, survival area increased when a delay procedure was used without ligation of the proximal vein.