[Prefabricated free transplants. Experimentation].

The principle of prefabricated transplants consists in the manufacturing of compound transplants complete with a vascular pedicle containing an artery, a vein, a muscle and its nerve, some cell tissue, bone tissue, cartilage, periosteum and innerved skin. This transplant is constructed and modeled in accordance with its intended use, around the preselected vascular pedicle, whence the term prefabricated. Neovascularization revascularizes these different structures. The free transplants together with their vasculonervous pedicles are excised five weeks after manufacture and then transplanted to the recipient site. Experimentally, we grafted 15 free prefabricated transplants in Wistar rats. One failure was observed due to thrombosis of the anastomoses. Experimental data from macroscopic, arteriographic, microangiographic, and histological examinations, with injection of a staining material, show that neovascularization develops at the level of the transplant. The emphasis is on creating free transplants selectively using various tissues and selected vascular pedicles. These transplants constitute a useful prospective alternative for very elaborate reconstructive surgery.