IMPROVED OUTCOME OF SURGICAL FLAPS TREATED WITH TOPICAL DIMETHYLSULFOXIDE

Objective The objective of this study was to analyze the effect of dim ethylsulfoxide (DMSO) on skin flap viability. Background Dimethylsulfo xide has been shown to decrease necrosis of random skin flaps in the r at model, but no human studies have been performed. The authors perfor med a randomized, prospective study on the effect of DMSO on skin flap viability in patients undergoing mastectomy and inguinal lymphadenect omy. Methods Twenty-four patients had topical 60% DMSO applied to thei r flaps every 4 hours x 10 days after operation and 27 patients had op eration alone. The maximum area of flap ischemia was traced by a maske d observer and measured by cut and weigh technique. Significance of di fferences between the treatment and control group was determined by St udent's t test. Results The mean area of ischemia for the DMSO group w as 16.33 U versus 44.93 U for the control group. This difference was s tatistically significant (p = 0.01). Conclusions The authors conclude that topical application of DMSO reduces skin flap ischemia in humans and recommend its use after operation in which skin flaps are created.