title: Blood flow and microcirculatory changes in an ischemia-reperfusion injury model: experimental study in the rabbit.
abstract: This is the first in a series of studies designed to investigate the simultaneous changes in blood flow and microcirculation in an island flap during ischemia, in an ischemia-reperfusion model in the rabbit. An island groin flap based on the inferior epigastric vessels was harvested in 17 rabbits. The flap was rendered ischemic for 4 (n = 4), 6 (n = 4), and 16 (n = 9) hr by applying a microvascular clamp to both the inferior epigastric artery and vein. The blood flow in the epigastric artery and the microcirculation of the flap were monitored for 1 hr before the ischemia and for 3 hr after the ischemia period, using a transonic Doppler and a laser Doppler, respectively. Both the blood flow and the microcirculation of the flap were found significantly increased immediately after the ischemia in the 4- and 6-hr ischemia groups, compared to the pre-ischemic values. In the same groups, blood flow and microcirculation remained elevated over pre-ischemic levels, indicating a hyperemic response. In the 16-hr ischemic group, blood flow and microcirculation values remained significantly lower than the pre-ischemic readings at all points in time, demonstrating ischemia-reperfusion injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gürlek
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Schusterman
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gherardini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D019074:Epigastric Arteries / Q000502:physiology; D005263:Femoral Artery; D005268:Femoral Vein; D006119:Groin / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation; D011817:Rabbits; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply*