[A clinical study of flap necrosis protection with dexamethasone].
OBJECTIVE
This clinical study was to find an effective method to prevent flap from necrosis.


METHODS
When a flap showed blood flow problems, dexamethasone of 0.3 mg/kg was given intravenously for 2 days. Then the dose was decreased to 0.2 mg/kg at the third and the fourth day. At the fifth and the sixth day, dexamethasone of 0.1 mg/kg was given.


RESULTS
A total of 51 flaps with blood flow problems was treated with this method. Thirty of them recovered completely; 18 survived mostly and 3 failed.


CONCLUSIONS
Early application of dexamethasone can effectively ameliorate blood flow problems of the flap.
Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China.
Jing-min
JM
Cao
Biao
B
Wang
Kai-hua
KH
Lu
Yan
Y
Han
Shu-zhong
SZ
Guo
Yu-hong
YH
Lang
Ling
L
Chen
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009336:Necrosis; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000473:pathology*
D003907:Dexamethasone