AMELIORATION OF SECONDARY ISCHEMIC-INJURY BY PERFUSION WITH UNIVERSITY-OF-WISCONSIN (UW) SOLUTION IN RAT SKIN FLAPS

This study was designed to observe the effect of perfusion with University of Wisconsin (UW) preservation solution on skin flap survival following secondary ischaemia caused by venous obstruction in rats. An epigastric flap model was used. Saline-perfused flaps exhibited no significant improvement in survival compared to untreated animals (NS). Skin flaps perfused with UW solution, however, had a significant increase in survival to 40% (8/20) (p < 0.01) when perfused before the onset of primary ischaemia and 30% (6/20) (p < 0.05) when given before the onset of secondary ischaemia. These results show that UW solution improves skin flap survival, presumably through preservation of the microvasculature.