Effect of allopurinol, superoxide-dismutase, and hyperbaric oxygen on flap survival

The effect of allopurinol, superoxide-dismutase, and hyperbaric oxygen was compared on axial pattern skin flap survival. An abdominal flap based on the inferior epigastric pedicle was raised in rats for this purpose. Three experimental groups were studied. In the first group, adult male Wistar rats received 50 mg/kg I.P. of allopurinol. The second received 20,000 I.U./kg of superoxide-dismutase. The third group was submitted to hyperbaric oxygen therapy. The flaps were exposed to 8-h warm ischemia. Flap survival was evaluated on postoperative day 7. All flaps survived, and the mean survival areas were 63.53%, 83.03%, and 55.98%, respectively, in the allopurinol, superoxide-dismutase, and hyperbaric groups. The percentage of flap necrosis was significantly smaller in all experimental groups when compared to controls (P < 0.05). It was clear that the superoxide-dismutase group had better results on axial pattern ischemic skin flap survival, under the tested conditions. The tested methods improved flap survival to ischemic injury, and the flap designed is a reliable model for further investigations.