Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Global Open (Apr 2024)

Training in Vascular Microsurgery: The Ex Vivo Biological Model on Domestic Turkey Leg (Meleagris gallopavo)

  • Francesca La Torre, MD,
  • Vincenzo Manfellotto, MD,
  • Vincenzo Mazzarella, MD,
  • Luigi Sorbino, MD,
  • Matteo D’Alessio, MD,
  • Carlo Petroccione, MD,
  • Maria Maddalena Nicoletti, MD,
  • Giuseppe Andrea Ferraro, PhD, MD,
  • Gorizio Pieretti, PhD, MD

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1097/GOX.0000000000005733
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 4
p. e5733

Abstract

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Summary:. There are various models for practicing microsurgical anastomoses, from synthetic to ex vivo and in vivo biological ones. In this study, we present the domestic turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) as an ex vivo biological model in the practice of surgical anastomoses. In our opinion, it represents a model that is very similar to a human one, low cost, and easy to find. In fact, our study shows that the diameters of the arteries and veins used for anastomoses (tibial artery diameter: 2.5 ± 0.6 mm; tibial vein diameter: 3.5 ± 1.2 mm) are similar to those of human arteries and veins most frequently used in microsurgical free flaps. So, we believe that this animal model is a great model for microsurgical training for doctors who approach this difficult and long to learn discipline.