THE EFFECT OF WASHOUT PERFUSION WITH BERAPROST SODIUM ON THE NO-REFLOW PHENOMENON IN THE RAT ISLAND FLAP

Beraprost sodium is a chemically stable PGI(2) analog which has antipl atelet and vasodilating properties, its ability to improve survival af ter prolonged ischemia was tested on the rat epigastric island flap. F orty Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into control (Ringer's lactated) and treated (beraprost sodium) groups and subdivided into two groups of total ischemia (both artery and vein were occluded): 11 and 15 h. A fter the ischemic period the flaps were slowly perfused with 4 ml of b eraprost sodium solution or R/L solution. After seven days the surviva l areas were documented: Goup 1 (control - 11 h of ischemia): 9.9%; Gr oup 2 (beraprost sodium - 11 h of ischemia): 85.9%; Group 3 (control - 15 h of ischemia), 0%; Group 4 (beraprost sodium - 15 h of ischemia): 48.2%. Using the student's t-test the result demonstrated that berapr ost sodium improved flap survival in both the 11 and 15h of ischemia g roups (p<0.005).