Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation in viability of a random skin flap in nicotine-treated rats.
BACKGROUND
Skin flaps are extensively used in plastic surgery, the main postoperative problems being ischemia and necrosis. Nicotine has acute vasoconstrictive properties, diminishing blood flow and increasing the risk of flap necrosis. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) was effective in reducing necrosis in random skin flaps in rats. Therefore, the authors decided to test the efficacy of TENS to reduce necrosis in the presence of nicotine.


METHODS
Sixteen adult male Wistar-Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM) rats were distributed, at random, in 2 groups of 8 animals. The nicotine group (NG) received this drug subcutaneously (1.2 mg/kg/d), for 1 week before flap elevation. The nicotine plus TENS group (NTG) followed the same routine. Immediately after the operative procedure and on the next 2 postoperative days, the treatment group (NTG) was submitted to TENS during an hour under anesthesia. NG animals were sham exposed. After 7 days, the percentages of necrosis were determined.


RESULTS
The NG had a mean value of 45% and the NTG, 21% of necrosis, a difference statistically significant (P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
TENS was effective in the reduction of necrosis in this flap model.
Russo
Claudia Regina Abrantes
CR
Department of Ophthalmology, Federal University of São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Leite
Mauro Teixeira
MT
Gomes
Heitor Carvalho
HC
Ferreira
Lydia Masako
LM
D000818:Animals; D008297:Male; D009336:Necrosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009538:Nicotine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology; D014022:Tissue Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004561:Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation
D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D009538:Nicotine