Spontaneous regeneration of lymphatics after tissue transfer can be used to bypass damaged lymphatics.

<p><b>A.</b> Gross photographs comparing nude mice that had undergone tail excision with (right) and without (left) skin grafting are shown 6 weeks after surgery. Note obvious difference in tail swelling. <b>B.</b> Tail volume measurements in nude mice that had undergone tail excision with or without skin grafting. Data are presented as percent change from baseline (i.e. preoperatively) with mean ± SD (*<i>p</i><0.05). <b>C, D.</b> Representative lymphoscintigraphy of nude mice that had undergone tail excision with or without skin grafting. <b>E.</b> Representative photomicrograph (5x) of H&E stained tails sections from nude mice treated with (left) or without (right) 6 weeks after surgery. Dashed box delineates area of skin graft. Note decreased inflammation (cellularity) and dermal thickness in skin-grafted mice distal (to the left) of the wound. <b>F.</b> High power (40x) photomicrographs of tail skin harvested 5 mm distal to the excision site. Note decreased cellularity in skin-grafted section (left) as compared with excision section (right; arrow). Also note decreased dermal thickness. <b>G.</b> Dermal thickness measurements and representative figures (40x) in nude mice that had undergone tail excision with or without skin grafting 6 weeks following surgery (*<i>p</i><0.05). <b>H.</b> Scar index measurements in tail tissues localized just distal to the site of lymphatic injury 6 weeks after treatment with excision with or without skin grafting. Representative Sirius red birefringence images are shown to the right. Orange-red is indicative of scar; yellow-green is consistent with normal (i.e. non-fibrosed) tissue (*<i>p</i><0.01).