PLASTER CONTAINING CAPSAICIN INCREASES THE SURVIVAL OF EXPERIMENTAL FLAPS - EFFECTS OF POSTOPERATIVE AND PREOPERATIVE ADMINISTRATION

A study was performed on a plaster containing capsaicin. This is a com mercial product used in the treatment of lumbago or arthralgia in Japa n, When applied to a failing flap after flap elevation, flap survival increases significantly in comparison with a control group. Furthermor e, pretreatment of tile skin for six hours before flap elevation also caused a significant increase in flap survival, despite the fact that there was no application after flap elevation. Plaster containing caps aicin is easily obtained at any time by anyone since it is a commercia l product. It provides a stead!: topical administration of the drug, a nd allows a study of the flap survival to be undertaken.