title: The effect of bovine basic fibroblast growth factor on skin flap survival in rats.
abstract: Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) was prepared from bovine pituitary glands and evaluated for its effect on the viability of pedicle skin flaps in rats. Pedicle flaps measuring 3 x 7.5 cm and based cephalad were created on the backs of animals. The treatment group received bFGF in saline solution intradermally by Dermo-jet injection 30 minutes before flap elevation. Skin flaps treated with a single application of 80 U of bFGF demonstrated a significant increase in viability from 40.8% to 69.7% of the flap area (p less than 0.001); the flaps treated with 16 U of bFGF exhibited little improvement. Intradermal administration of bFGF to pedicle skin flaps produced an increase in viability that approximates the increase obtained by a surgical delay procedure; treatment of flaps with exogenous bFGF may offer advantages over surgical delay procedures.
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Im
authors.forename: Y S
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Hoopes
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fenselau
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000187:drug effects*; D006493:Heparin / Q000494:pharmacology; D007277:Injections, Jet; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012038:Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000473:pathology*; D013524:Surgical Flaps
chemical_list: D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D006493:Heparin