Experimental model for the study of soft tissue fixation methods on skin-pericranium flaps in rats

Abstract

PURPOSE:To develop an experimental model to study and radiologically monitor displacement of skin flaps in the pericranium of rats subjected to traction and surgical fixation using suture anchored in a skull bone tunnel or with N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate (Histoacryl TM ) surgical adhesive. METHODS:Radiological markers were placed in the subcutis of Wistar rats undergoing subperiosteal detachment of the pericranium with pulling and fixation of the flap. We performed radiography on postoperative days 3, 7, 14, 21, and 45. A p-value of <0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS:Qualitative analysis of the data indicated that the flaps in the surgical adhesive group remained in place with no change from the immediate postoperative position. However, the flaps in the suture anchored in the skull bone tunnel group and in the control group showed similar healing, with a loss of attachment of 9.7% and 22%, respectively, compared with the immediate postoperative position.There was no quantitative difference between the groups. CONCLUSIONS:This experimental model created acceptable experimental conditions for testing different soft tissue fixation methods.The use of tissue fixatives contributed to better placement of pericranium-cutaneous flaps, and surgical adhesive was superior to suture anchor in the skull bone tunnel for fixation of pericranium-cutaneous flaps.

Comparative study of tissue reactivity to n-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate and nylon monofilament thread on pericranium-cutaneous flaps in rats

“…In our study, we emphasized the importance of developing an experimental model for the study of soft tissue fixation methods and their tissue reactions. We found that the adhesive n-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate is more reactive than suture anchored in a skull bone tunnel; thus, adhesive promotes increased migration of PMN cells and fibroblasts corresponding to the higher repositioning of the flaps in the long term 18 . We also observed during the collection of specimens for histological analysis the presence of cover slip adhesive polymerized between the soft tissue and the bone plate.…”

“…This was shown in the treated groups, in which the deposition of type I collagen was higher than that in the control group on postoperative day 7. Although the degree of collagen deposition was similar among the three groups at the end of the experiment, when the flap displacement was analyzed with a radiological control, we found the need to use soft tissue fixation methods to maintain the proposed tissue repositioning 18 .…”

“…Traction and fixation of soft tissue flaps in facial plastic surgery is performed by means of soft tissue fixation methods, the most common being sutures, screws (metallic or absorbable), and surgical adhesives [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20] .…”