The study investigated how neovascularization (new blood vessel formation) develops in two types of posterior pharyngeal flap surgeries in dogs, comparing superior and inferior flap placements.
The results showed that the superiorly based flaps demonstrated quicker blood vessel reconstruction, forming a mature network within 30 days, while inferiorly based flaps took longer to develop a mature network, reaching that stage by 90 days.
Both flap types were ultimately able to establish a sufficient blood supply through their vascular networks, but their timelines for maturation differed significantly.