[Comparison of normal and venous flaps. An experimental study].

The abdominal skin of 135 rats was fashioned to be normal on venous flap for investigating the difference in quality of the two. For normal flap, the right superficial epigastric artery was used to serve as the nourishing vessel and the left superficial epigastric vein the draining one. For venous flap, the right superficial epigastric vein was made to be the nourishing vessel and the left superficial epigastric vein the draining one. The flap in group I was fed with blood from the distal end of the femoral vein; the flap in group II was supplied with blood from the distal end of the femoral artery; and the flap in group III was nourished with blood from the femoral artery. It demonstrated that the venous flaps in group I were better in quality than the normal flaps in terms of survival rate, elasticity and size of ulcer. However, the results in group II and group III were quite different. As for clinical use, it would be all right to cover small wound with venous flap; while repairing large defect, particularly in exposed part or area near a joint, normal flap should be of the choice.