OBJECTIVETo establish a new method of early cut-off skin flap by ligating to stegnosis pedicle and assess its feasibility and clinical application.

METHODSTwenty New Zealand rabbits were used to make skin flaps with the size of 8.0 cm x 4.0 cm on both sides of the back respectively. And one side was experimental group with the pedicles of skin flaps horizontally oversewn by several pairs of silk thread, the other side was control group. Two pairs of silk thread in the two sides of the pedicle of skin flap of experimental group were ligated on the 3rd day. On the 5th day the pedicle was wholly ligated. All pedicles were divided on the 6th day and the survival area of skin flaps were measured after 3 days. The tissue samples from the skin flaps were collected for histology test on the 4th and 6th day respectively. The pedicles of 78 random flaps from 48 patients were cut off after narrowing them by ligating.

RESULTSThe mean flap survival rate of the experimental group was statistically higher than the control group. Histological examination results showed the density and diameter of blood vessel were increased in the skin flaps of the experimental group. The mean time for removal pedicles was shortened to 10 days, and no necrosis was found after resecting.

CONCLUSIONSThis method is secure and convenient and the time of pedicle division can be shortened.