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Changes in blood flow and metabolism in a neurovascular island skin flap after a burn
E Eriksson1, R D Miles, H Q Le
1Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield 62708.
Abstract:
In 8 male white Yorkshire pigs weighing approximately 42 kg each, 12 buttock neurovascular island skin flaps were dissected. Baseline recordings were made of blood flow and O2 consumption in the flap. Two series of experiments were carried out. In control animals (5), the flap was dissected and the "cold" aluminum plate was applied for 10 seconds. In the burned flaps (7) a contact burn of 2.68 calories/cm2 was created with a heated aluminium plate applied to the skin for 10 seconds. After this the flaps were studied for 4 hours. In the control flaps, blood flow and O2 consumption did not change. The burned flaps showed no change in blood flow, while O2 consumption increased significantly from .07 +/- .01 (SE) ml/100 g/min to .18 +/- .08 (SE) ml/100 g/min (p less than .05).