ABSTRACT
Previously, clinical observations have suggested that local injection of hyaluronidase (HDL) increase skin flaps survival(23). We have now extended these observations, analyzing the effects of HDL in rabbit skin flaps. Therefore, dorso-lateral, cranially pedicled skin flaps were treated with 1 ml HDL (200 U/ml, treated flaps) and compared, after 7 days of surgery, with flaps injected with 1 ml saline (control 1) or no injected at all (control 2). The efficiency of HDL was confirmed by the percentage of necrosis in the flap area (evaluated by tissue color and capillary filling) which achieved 1.47% ± 2.91) 27.64% ± 25.89 and 30.14% ± 27.96 in the treated groups, control 1 and control 2 flaps respectively. We conclude that HDL is capable of preventing skin flaps necrosis.
Keywords: Hyaluronidase and skin flaps; skin flaps survival; skin flaps.