TOPICAL ADMINISTRATION OF PROSTAGLANDIN-E1 WITH IONTOPHORESIS FOR SKIN FLAP VIABILITY

This study was performed to investigate the capability of iontophoreti c delivery of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) and the effect of this treatment on the viability of skin flaps on the rat dorsum model as described b y Hammond and Ronald in 1993, The PGE1 level in the tissue sample unde r the electrode was assessed with radioimmunoassay. The iontophoretic treatment (for 20 minutes at 4 mA) with PGE1 solution (20 mu g PGE1 in 2 mi saline) showed a significant increase of PGE1 in the flap tissue under the negative electrode (p < 0.05). Very little increase was obs erved after the iontophoresis of saline alone. This was not statistica lly significant, lontophoretic treatment was given for 5 consecutive d ays following flap elevation. The survival area on the seventh postope rative day was significantly greater in the PGE1-treated flaps than th at of either the control or saline-treated flaps. These results confir m the beneficial effect of iontophoretic treatment with PGE1 on the au gmentation of skin flap viability.