Comparison of the effects of inhalation, epidural, spinal, and combined anesthesia techniques on rat cremaster muscle flap microcirculation.
BACKGROUND
This experimental study was designed to investigate and compare the effects of different anesthesia techniques on rat cremaster muscle flap microcirculation.


METHODS
Fifty male Sprague-Dawley rats (130-150 g body weight) were divided into five experimental groups containing ten animals each. Group I, group II, and group III were designated as inhalation, epidural, and spinal anesthesia groups, respectively. Group IV was designated as a combination group for inhalation and epidural anesthesia. Group V was a combination group of inhalation and spinal anesthesia.


RESULTS
Group III and group V showed significant increases in the number of rolling and sticking leucocytes and in RBC volume (peripheral stasis) when compared with group I. Blood flow and velocity significantly increased without peripheral stasis in groups II and IV when compared with group I. Although there was no statistically significant difference in the numbers of rolling, sticking, and transmigrating leucocytes or in functional capillary perfusion, group IV had better flow hemodynamics in the peripheral microcirculation when compared with group I.


CONCLUSIONS
The inhalation and epidural anesthesia combination was determined to be the ideal anesthesia technique for improved peripheral microcirculation. Spinal anesthesia, either separately or in combination with inhalation anesthesia, has adverse effects on microcirculation.
Bozkurt
Mehmet
M
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Dicle University, Diyarbakir, Turkey.
Kulahci
Yalcin
Y
Zor
Fatih
F
Sen
Huseyin
H
Acikel
Cengiz Han
CH
Deveci
Mustafa
M
Turegun
Murat
M
Sengezer
Mustafa
M
D000767:Anesthesia, Epidural; D000769:Anesthesia, Inhalation; D000775:Anesthesia, Spinal; D000818:Animals; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000187:drug effects*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012611:Scrotum; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply*