Microneurovascular anatomy of the peroneus brevis muscle in the NZW-rabbit: A new model for free functional muscle transplantation

This study introduces the peroneus brevis muscle of the NZW‐rabbit as a new model for free functional muscle transplantation. The muscle originates from the lateral aspect of the knee joint and inserts on the 5th metatarsal with a circumscript tendon. It can be harvested with a 7 cm long motor nerve branch. In a series of 22 animals divided in two groups with a body weight of 3.19 ± 0.30 kg and 4.81 ± 0.38 kg respectively, vessel diameter of the supplying artery was found to be 0.3–0.35 mm in group one and 0.40–0.45 mm in group two, the two concomitant veins were 1.1–1.4 mm in diameter in the first group and 1.2–1.6 mm in the second group. Histomorphometric analysis stained with NADH showed 3.67 ± 3.21% type I fibers, 25.41 ± 7.87% type IIa fibers, and 70.93 ± 9.12% type IIb/d fibers. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. Microsurgery, 2006.