title: The influence of skin flap ischemia on serum nitric oxide concentrations.
abstract: Nitric oxide (NO), identified as a mediator of endothelium-dependent relaxation of vascular smooth muscle, is known to cause a number of inflammatory diseases, especially ischemia-reperfusion injury. This experimental study, using a rabbit epigastric island flap, was designed to investigate whether skin flap ischemia followed by reperfusion influences serum NO concentrations. In addition, the author investigated the effects of NO synthase inhibitors and heparin on skin flap ischemia. Serum NO concentrations after 15, 30, 45, and 60 minutes of ischemia followed by reperfusion were significantly increased compared with non-ischemic controls and elevated flaps. On the other hand, serum NO concentrations were suppressed in nitro-amino-methyl-L-arginine- and aminoguanidine-treated animals. Furthermore, administration of heparin increased serum NO concentrations in controls and animals with elevated flaps, but decreased serum NO concentrations in ischemic flaps with subsequent reperfusion. These results suggest that NO is one of the factors responsible for ischemia-reperfusion injury and that NO synthase inhibitors and heparin may protect against such injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, St. Marianna University School of Medicine, Kawasaki, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Oshima
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000097:blood; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D006146:Guanidines / Q000494:pharmacology; D006493:Heparin / Q000494:pharmacology; D007511:Ischemia / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000097:blood*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D011817:Rabbits; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply*; D013524:Surgical Flaps
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D006146:Guanidines; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D006493:Heparin; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D006152:Cyclic GMP; C004479:pimagedine; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester