Capsular tissue: a new local flap.

Capsular tissue, the interface that forms between an implanted device and the body's own soft tissues, has recently been shown to develop its own unique blood supply. This capsular tissue with its extensive vascular plexus has not been described previously as an isolated flap. The purpose of our study was to determine whether an isolated flap of capsular tissue would survife as a local pedicle flap and provide enough inherent vascularity to support a skin graft. Isolated expanded and nonexpanded capsular flaps were compared by using 20 expanders (10 expanded and 10 nonexpanded) in two mixed-breed female pigs. Expanded and nonexpanded capsular flaps were elevated 8 weeks following expander placement