title: The effect of botulinum toxin B pretreatment to the blood flow in the microvascular anastomosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although multiple factors can lead to free flap failure, vessel-related accidents are the most important. Many methods have been developed (both intraoperative and postoperative) to prevent vessel-related complications. In this article, we study the effects of a "preoperative treatment" using botulinum toxin B that could enhance the velocity and blood flow of vascular pedicles and decrease vascular accidents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten Sprague-Dawley rats were pretreated with botulinum toxin type B at the perivascular area of the femoral vessel. Ten other rats were injected with saline as a control group. After 3 days, pedicle diameter and the peak mean frequency of blood in the pedicle were measured using laser Doppler flowmetry, and the peak mean blood velocity was calculated. We performed a "pedicle division and reanastomosis" operation to compare changes in vessel diameter and peak mean blood velocity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Vessel diameter was significantly increased in the botox-pretreated group for both veins and arteries. A comparison of the deep femoral vein and artery blood velocities showed that the peak mean velocity was significantly higher in the botox group. The average increase in blood velocity was significantly larger in the botox group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Botulinum toxin B is helpful by influencing the microvascular environment through an increase in the blood velocity of the pedicle.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Plastic Surgery, Samsung Medical Centre, Sungkyunkwan, University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea; and Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Chung-Ang University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Bo Young
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Han Koo
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Woo Seob
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Tae Hui
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Bae
mesh_terms: D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D000818:Animals; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000187:drug effects; D001905:Botulinum Toxins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000601:surgery; D005268:Femoral Vein / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000601:surgery; D058752:Free Tissue Flaps / Q000098:blood supply*; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply*
chemical_list: D009498:Neurotoxins; C096323:rimabotulinumtoxinB; D001905:Botulinum Toxins; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A