Experience with epigastric free flap transfer in the rat: technique and results.

We have described the advantages and disadvantages of using the rat epigastric free flap as a means of studying transplantation phenomena. The study comprises 20 epigastric free flap autografts in rats. After 1 1/2 years of working on the model, we achieved a 75% success rate in the last 20 consecutive procedures. From our experience with this model, we feel that the rat epigastric flap has a place in the study of transplantation phenomena in the experimental laboratory. In addition, we feel that this is an excellent technical exercise for maintaining proficiency in performing microvascular anastomoses.