DO LEUKOCYTES CONTRIBUTE TO IMPAIRED MICROVASCULAR TISSUE PERFUSION AFTER ARTERIAL REPAIR

Impaired capillary perfusion may result in flap failure. Platelet embo li, polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs), and/or vasospasm have been id entified as possible causes. This study investigates the role of PMNs in causing impaired capillary perfusion in a free flap model. PMN conc entrations were depleted using antineutrophil serum. The cremaster mus cles of 20 Sprague-Dawley rats were isolated on a single neurovascular pedicle and after a simulated technically poor arterial anastomosis u pstream and reperfusion, capillary perfusion was measured each hour fo r 6 hours. Even though the number of PMNs was significantly reduced in the animals treated with antineutrophil serum, capillary perfusion wa s not changed compared with controls. These results demonstrate that d epleting circulating PMNs does not protect capillary perfusion in our model. These findings suggest that reduced capillary perfusion downstr eam from an anastomotic repair is not mediated by the presence of PMNs in the microcirculation. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.