Free neurovascular flaps: muscle biopsies studies

In plastic surgery free neurovascular flap is used with reconstructive purposes. In spite of the great number of improvements, aesthetic and functional results of free flap are not always successful, mostly because fibrosis and fatty change take place after some years. Spontaneous reinnervation lets the muscle preserve a certain degree of trophism. In this study, six biopsies were taken from six different free flaps. Biopsies were studied histologically and immunohistochemically to determine degree of muscle trophism, and embryonic myosin. Biopsies were analyzed morfometrically and the relative muscle, fibrous and fatty tissue content determined. In some instances activation of satellite cells was evident, confirming that even several years after the vascular free flap transfer the muscle still attempted to regenerate.