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Abstract
A skin flap of a size which could be expected to undergo partial necrosis was designed on the back of rats. Some animals were stressed postoperatively by repeated immobilization in order to increase plasma catechnolamine levels. Three groups were restrained and a control group received no postoperative treatment. One of the restrained groups received an adrenergic alpha-receptor blocking agent (phentolamine. Regitine® Sandoz) before and after each period of immobilization; another group was sham-injected at the same intervals. The survival of the skin flaps was compared for the different groups. In the restrained and sham-injected groups, survival was distinctly decreased compared with that in the control group, whereas the group given the adrenergic alpha-receptor blocking agent showed the best survival. The improved survival is ascribed to increased blood flow. This has earlier been shown to occur after alpha-receptor blockade in the sympathetically denervated and supersensitive blood vessels of similar flaps. Assuming that the skin blood flow reacts similarly in man, adrenergic alpha-receptor blockade opens up possibilities in clinical praxis to obtain enhanced tissue survival in certain situations where the circulation is critically depressed.