Effect of short-term high dose of steroids on the healing of microvascularanastomoses in a rabbit model: pilot study

Short-term high doses of steroids have been used in head and neck surgery t o reduce swelling in free tissue transfers. This study was set up to assess the effect of this treatment on the healing of microvascular anastomoses i n a rabbit model. Anastomoses were made in the common carotid artery and an terior facial vein in 40 animals, half of which were given high doses of me thylprednisolone (2.5 mg/kg/day) intravenously for 48 h perioperatively. Th e patency of the vessels was assessed and they were harvested for histologi cal examination at 1, 3, 7, 14, and 90 days postoperatively Steroids tended to reduce the swelling in the vessel walls during the early stages of heal ing (24 h and 3 days), and also to reduce the inflammatory cell count in th e lumen of the vessels at 3 days. It seems likely from these initial observ ations that steroids are more likely to improve than jeopardize the healing of microvascular anastomoses.