The tissue expansion technique, especially skin expansion, is now a well-accepted modality for treating reconstructive problems complicated by indequate skin and soft tissue.
Cherry (1983) demonstrated that the survival length of radom pattern flaps ...
The tissue expansion technique, especially skin expansion, is now a well-accepted modality for treating reconstructive problems complicated by indequate skin and soft tissue.
Cherry (1983) demonstrated that the survival length of radom pattern flaps raised in expanded skin is greater than that of flaps raised in unexpanded tissue and that expanded flaps have survival length similar to that of the delayed flap. The mechanism for this increased survival length may be due to physical forces associated with serial expansion acting as a stimulus for the angiogenesis on the flap and the capsule which has formed beneath the flap.
The present study was undertaken to examine quantitatively the dynamic changes of capillary blood flow among the normal control flaps (group A), delayed flaps (group B), expanded flaps with capsulectomy (group C) and expanded flaps with intact capsules (group D), which were measured at intervals of 4cm from the base of each flap using the laser flowmetry in order to determine the relation between survival length of each random skin flap and capillary blood flow. This also determine the role of the capsule in blood flow and survival of expanded skin flaps.
The results were as follows:
1. The survival length and the capillary blood flow of the flaps were increased in delayed and expanded skin flaps than control flaps.
2. The survival length and the capillary blood flow of the flaps were similar each other except normal control skin flaps.
3. The changes of capillary blood perfusion from pedicle to the distal end of the skin flap closely paralleled the survival length of the skin flaps.
4. The capsule did not contribute to the increase of the capillary blood flow and flap survival.
We conclude the capsulectomy did not have a detrimental effect on the hemodynamics and viability of random pattern skin flaps raised on expanded skin. ,