Reperfusion injury in rat adipomusculocutaneous flaps: an ultrastructural and microangiographic study.

Electron microscopy (EM), microangiography (MA) and histological studies were carried out to demonstrate the vascular basis of ischaemic and reperfusion injury in rat adipomusculocutaneous free flaps which had been stored under normothermic conditions (37 degrees C) for specific periods of time. MA revealed that areas destined to die reperfused for at least 6 h in this model. EM showed progressive endothelial damage as a result of both storage and reperfusion. The use of the iron chelator desferrioxamine (DFX) did not benefit the endothelium or improve salvage of ischaemic flaps.