There are many methods to improve the flap circulation in the experimental study including surgical delay, hyperbaric oxygen, hypothermia, and drugs etc.
We studied the effect of allopurinol which was well known as a therapeutic agent for gout on the survival of the random pattern skin flap in rats. Allopurinol, an inhibitor of xanthine oxidase, increases tissue tolerance against ischemia by increasing energy substrates and decreasing deliterious free radical production.
First, we determined the clinically efficacious dosage by measuring the blood uric acid levels in 15 rats after daily administration of allopurinol for 24 days.
Second, we investigated the effect of allopurinol on the random pattern skin flap survival by measuring the survival area on the postoperative 8th day after elevation of a 4X 10cm caudally based dorsal skin flap in 18 rats.
The results were obtained as follows
I . Uric acid varied inversely with the dose of allopurinol adminstered ; Allopurinol 50mg/kg/ day caused 50 % decrease and I00mg/kg/day cause 80 % decrease in uric acid levels in comparison with control group.
2. Average skin flap survival area on the postorperative 8th day in group 3 (allopurinol 100 mg/kg/day) showed 87.78% which was significantly better than group 2(allopurinol 50mg/kg/ day) 78.40 % and group I (sterile water 0.8cc/kg/day) 74.77 %.
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