Pentoxifylline and acetylsalicylic acid in a pig random skin-flap model.

OBJECTIVE

Pentoxifylline has been used experimentally, and acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) has been used clinically to improve skin-flap survival. This study tested the efficacy of each drug in the pig random skin-flap model.

METHOD

Six flaps were elevated on each hypopigmented pig. After sacrifice on the seventh postoperative day, percent flap survival was determined. Control data were obtained from eleven pigs. Six experimental subjects were treated with pentoxifylline (25 mg/kg/d); six with ASA (8 mg/kg/d); and twelve with a combination of pentoxifylline and ASA (six for 7 days and six for 14 days).

RESULTS

The mean flap survival +/- SEM was: 58.0 +/- 4.3% for the pentoxifylline group; 50.3 +/- 3.4% for the ASA group; 56.8 +/- 2.7% and 55.2 +/- 3.4% for the 7-day and 14-day combination groups, respectively. There was no significant increase in flap survival with any of the experimental groups when compared to controls (49.6 +/- 1.8%).

CONCLUSION

Red blood cell flexibility and platelet aggregation studies documented the expected intravascular drug effects, but did not correlate well with flap survival.