The Effect of Aspirin, Dexamethasone and their Combination on Random Skin Flap Survival in Rats at Hazrat Fateme Educational and Research Center

Introduction & Ischemia and necrosis of flaps is a challenging problem in reconstructive surgery. There are numerous articles dealing with the effects of pharmacological agents in halting or reversing these processes. In this study, the effects of aspirin, dexamethasone and their combination on skin random flap survival in rats were examined. Forty male Sprague – Dawley rats were randomly assigned to four equal groups. Group 1 (control), group 2 (aspirin), group 3 (dexamethasone) and group 4 (aspirin + dexamethasone). The first group underwent a rectangular 3×11 cm modified distally based Macfarlane type flap surgery under anesthesia then the flap sutured back into its primary site over a sterile surgical drape. The 2nd group aspirin 100mg/kg was given to rats one hour before the flap surgery. In the 3rd group after the flap surgery dexamethasone 2.5 mg/kg was divided in three equal doses was injected locally to the distal of the flap and continued daily for another 2 days. In 4th group we combined the methods used in groups 2 and 3 (each rats received both aspirin and dexamethasone). After seven days all the rats were anesthetized and after digital photography the areas of flaps survival were compared and analyzed with statistical methods. The areas of flap survival in control group were 44±6.5 % (mean±SD), in Aspirin group were 53±7.5%, in dexamethasone group were 57.8±8.5 % and in Aspirin + dexamethasone group were 60±8%. Only Dexamethasone group and Aspirin + dexamethasone group showed significantly improved flap survival relative to control group, but the effect of Aspirin alone was not statistically significant (P<0.05). The effect of dexamethasone on random flap survival of Rat was significant, but aspirin alone had no significant result.