title: Locally injected autologous platelet-rich plasma enhanced tissue perfusion and improved survival of long subdermal plexus skin flaps in dogs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Distal flap necrosis remains a major complication in subdermal plexus (random) skin flaps. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has been shown to improve the survival of ischemic random skin flaps in rats. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of locally injected autologous PRP on the survival of long (5:1 length-to-width ratio) subdermal plexus skin flaps in dogs.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 2x10 cm subdermal plexus skin flap was created bilaterally on the abdominal wall of six Beagle dogs. One randomly selected side received 2.5 ml of fresh auto-logous PRP injected evenly between sutures underneath the flap, whereas the other side was left untreated (control). Skin flap survival was evaluated macroscopically, histologically and by laser-Doppler flowmetry measurements of tissue perfusion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Flap percentage survival on day 10 (96.3% versus 74.5%; p = 0.046) and tissue perfusion (p <0.036) were significantly higher in PRP-treated flaps compared with controls. Histologically, there was less oedema in PRP-treated flaps compared to controls (p = 0.01), whereas collagen production and angiogenesis did not differ significantly between the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of locally injected autologous PRP increases tissue perfusion and improves the survival of long subdermal plexus skin flaps in dogs.
authors.affiliation: Dr M. Karayannopoulou, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Clinical Studies, Companion Animal Clinic, 11 St. Voutyra str., 546 27 Thessaloniki, Greece, Phone: +30 231 099 4407, E-mail: marikara@vet.auth.gr.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karayannopoulou
authors.forename: L G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Papazoglou
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Loukopoulos
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kazakos
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chantes
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Giannakas
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Savvas
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Psalla
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kritsepi-Konstantinou
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dionyssiou
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D053657:Platelet-Rich Plasma; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology*; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000662:veterinary*
keywords: Dog; Laser-Doppler flowmetry; long skin flap survival; platelet-rich plasma; subdermal plexus skin flap