Objective: To explore a method for ectopic prefabrication of mandible with vascular pedicle.
Methods: Cancellous bone blocks harvested from the dog ribs were packaged with mandible-shaped titanium mesh scaffold and implanted into latissimus dorsi of dog with thoracodorsal artery and vein through the scaffold. After 12 weeks, bone formation and vascularization were evaluated by gross inspection, histological examination and immunohistochemistry.
Results: Vascularized mandible with thoracodorsal artery and vein were formed and histological staining and immunohistochemisty confirmed new bone formation and vascularization.
Conclusions: There is feasibility for ectopic prefabrication of vascularized mandible graft using cancellous ribs, which provides a new method for mandibular defect reconstruction. Experimental study on ectopic prefabrication of vascularized mandible graft with autogenous ribs.