Summary
The benefits of a VEGF-secreting endothelised scaffold on the survival of distal flaps
with early pedicle flap division were evaluated in a rabbit model. We bioengineered
a scaffold based on a fibrin matrix in which endothelial cells, genetically modified
with a VEGF-encoding adenoviral vector were embedded. We distributed subjects in four
groups.
Control
Eight rabbits conditioned with endothelial cells embedded in a fibrin scaffold. The
pedicle was divided after a period of 5 days; and eight rabbits conditioned with endothelial
cells embedded in a fibrin scaffold but in this group the pedicle was divided after
a period of 2 days.
Treatment
Eight rabbits conditioned with VEGF-secreting endothelial cells embedded in a fibrin
scaffold; the pedicle was divided after a period of 5 days. And eight rabbits conditioned
with VEGF-secreting endothelial cells but the pedicle was divided after a period of
2 days. The percentages of survival were 95.62±4.95% for the VEGF-producing scaffold vs. 51.25±45.88% for a non-VEGF secreting scaffold when sectioning the pedicle after 5 days.
The percentage of survival of flaps in the group grafted with the VEGF-secreting scaffold
was 55.62% compared to 2.5% in the group receiving the non-VEGF scaffold when the
pedicle was sectioned after 2 days. The CD 31 immunostaining studies showed a dramatic
increase in angiogenesis in the flaps conditioned by the VEGF-producing scaffolds.
These data revealed that endothelised VEGF-secreting scaffold during flap creation
could be a suitable approach in reconstructive surgery.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: January 22, 2007
Accepted:
April 5,
2006
Received:
January 13,
2006
Identification
Copyright
© 2007 The British Association of Plastic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
