Nonsurgical delay of cutaneous flaps using the flashlamp pumped pulsed dyelaser

The surgical delay procedure is an effective method for improving skin flap survival. However, it has many disadvantages, such as bleeding, infection, and pain. It also requires an additional operation and a long time for wou nd management. Nonsurgical delay has a great importance, but pharmacologica l efforts for delay phenomena have never found clinical application. In thi s study, the authors attempted to reproduce the delay phenomena via the fla shlamp pumped dye laser. Forty Sprague-Dawley rats were studied in four gro ups of 10 rats each. The experimental and control flaps were on the same ra t. Flaps were planned on the ventral skin of the rats, and were symmetrical , three sided, based caudally, and were 2 cm in width, extended to the meas ured midpoint between the xiphoid and the sternal notch. The laser was appl ied to the different areas of the experimental flaps 15 days before flap el evation. A week later flap survival was determined by overlaying millimeter -grid acetate paper. Full-surface and perimeter "lased" experimental flaps showed a marked increase in surviving areas when compared with the control flaps. This kind of flap delay has a great potential in clinic application.