The effects of reserpine on microcirculatory flow in rat flaps.

A model flap was developed in the rat which allowed us to quantitate microcirculatory blood flow within a flap, and to correlate the flow with the length of flap eventually surviving. A critical flow of 0.02 and 0.03 ml/min/gm (measured during the first 24 hours after flap elevation by radioactive microspheres) appears to be necessary for tissue survival. Reserpine, in a dose of 5 mg/kg, did not increase blood flow in the flap or the length of flap surviving in this model.