Experimental transplantation of vascularized autologous and allogenic bone grafts for mandibular defects. Anatomical, immunological and surgical basis for vascularized bone transfer in the Göttingen minipig.

The Göttingen minipig serves as a suitable animal model for studying microsurgically reanastomosed iliac crest grafts for reconstruction of bone defects of the mandible. Because of the vascularization pattern of the hip bones of the Göttingen minipig, the cranioventral region of the ilium is especially suitable as a donor site. The separate vascularization of this area allows the excision of a bone block with sufficient volume, mechanical strength and a reliable vascular pedicle. The high degree of immunological variability of the minipigs demonstrated by isoelectric focusing and subsequent immunoblotting of lymphocyte membrane proteins offers possibilities for allogenic transplantation models. The surgical technique of harvesting and transplantation of the bone graft is described in detail.