Experimental Study of The Influence of the Calcium Channel Blockers on Flap Survival

Flap surgery and its survival is a major interest of the plastic surgeon. There have been numerous investigations concerned with finding a safe and effective method for increasing the area of skin flap survival. As the delay phenomenon theory, that is vascular smooth muscle relaxation auguments the blood flow to the capillary bed of the skin flap, experimental study using the Sprague-Dawley rats was perforned with the calcium antagonists which cause the dilatation of vascular smooth muscle by blocking the calcium influx into the cells.

The experimental results were as followings :

Survival area increased up to 72.7% with verapamil treatment and 81.22% with nimodipine treatment compared to 58.62% in the control. There was no significant difference between verapamil and nimodipine treatment groups.