Increased survival of ischaemic musculocutaneous flaps in rats after acupuncture.
The effects of acupuncture on survival of ischaemic musculocutaneous flaps were investigated in the rat. A dorsal cranially based standard flap (2 X 7 cm) was elevated and sutured back in position. The percentage survival of the flaps was estimated after 6 days. Manual acupuncture, electro-acupuncture but not superficial acupuncture significantly increased the survival of the flaps compared to untreated controls. The highest flap survival (92%) was obtained with repeated post-operative high-intensity electro-acupuncture. It is concluded that acupuncture treatment markedly increases experimental flap survival and may be of clinical importance for treatment of local ischaemia.
Jansen
G
G
Department of Physiology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Lundeberg
T
T
Samuelson
U E
UE
Thomas
M
M
D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006085:Graft Survival; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D013997:Time Factors