Related Experiment Videos
Circulatory and metabolic changes in expanded pig skin flaps.
1Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
|October 1, 1991
Summary
Tissue expansion in pigs increased laser Doppler flow but not overall blood flow in buttock flaps. Expanded flaps showed reduced flow during norepinephrine infusion, suggesting sympathetic denervation from tissue expansion.
Area of Science:
- Plastic Surgery
- Vascular Biology
- Tissue Engineering
Background:
- Tissue expansion is a reconstructive technique that stretches skin and underlying tissues.
- Understanding the physiological changes in expanded tissues is crucial for surgical outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate circulatory and metabolic alterations in pig skin following tissue expansion.
- To assess the impact of tissue expansion on sympathetic nerve function.
Main Methods:
- Pig buttock skin was expanded for 5 weeks, followed by flap elevation.
- Measurements included flap temperature, laser Doppler flow (LDF), fluorescein penetration, and venous outflow.
- Norepinephrine infusions were administered to evaluate adrenergic response.
- Metabolic parameters (glucose, oxygen, lactate) were analyzed.
Main Results:
- Laser Doppler flow was higher in expanded skin, but total flap blood flow remained unchanged.
- Expanded flaps exhibited reduced blood flow during norepinephrine infusion, unlike nonexpanded flaps.
- Fluorescein staining showed no significant differences.
- No significant metabolic parameter variations were observed.
Conclusions:
- Tissue expansion may lead to sympathetic denervation, similar to surgical nerve section.
- Circulatory changes occur in expanded tissues, but metabolic parameters are largely unaffected.