Survival of myocutaneous flaps. Experimental evaluation by intra-arterial injection of a dye.

Ninety-four myocutaneous island flaps of the pectoralis major were studied in the rabbit using sulfan blue (Disulphine-blue). In 13 cases, the dye was injected intra-arterially in the acromiothoracic artery before the flap was lifted, and 47 more were injected after the lifting of the flap. In 34 further cases, sulfan blue was injected intravenously once the flap had been lifted. In another 16 flaps, vascularization was studied by means of "diaphanization" (ie, making the tissue transparent or diaphenous in nature). In all groups, the surviving length of flap was observed to be greater than the stained length. Intra-arterial administration of sulfan blue was associated with reduced flap survival. Viable flap length was not related to the anatomy of the vascular base.