The pig as an experimental model for skin flap behaviour: a reappraisal of previous studies.

Skin flaps in the pig raised superficial to the panniculus carnosus are random pattern flaps. The surviving length of such flaps increases with their width until a certain length is reached after which widening the base has no further effect. The statement by Milton reinforced by that of Daniel and Williams that the surviving length is not related to its width is only true of the larger flaps. When the surface area of the pig is compared with that of man, flaps in the pig comparable in size with those in use clinically, are within the range where the surviving length is dependent on the base width.