BACKGROUND: Degloving injuries represent a challenge in plastic surgery. The aim of this study is to acknowledge the protective effects of hydrogen-rich saline (HRS) solution on a rat hindlimb degloved skin flap. METHODS: Twenty-one Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups (control, saline and HRS). Degloving injury model was established, and flaps were sutured back following 5 min of ischemia. The control group did not receive any treatment. The saline group received intraperitoneal physiological saline (10â¯ml/kg) and the HRS group received intraperitoneal HRS solution (10â¯ml/kg) postoperatively and daily for 5 days after the operation. Skin samples were obtained for histological, immunohistochemical and biochemical evaluations. RESULTS: Inflammation was lower in the HRS compared with saline (pâ¯=â¯0.02) and control (pâ¯=â¯0.004) groups. Edema was lower in the HRS compared with saline (pâ¯=â¯0.02) and control (pâ¯=â¯0.001) groups. Malondialdehyde (MDA) level was lower in the HRS than the control group (pâ¯=â¯0.01). Total antioxidant level was higher in the HRS compared with saline (pâ¯=â¯0.009) and control (pâ¯=â¯0.03) groups. Total oxidant level was lower in the HRS than the control group (pâ¯=â¯0.02). Oxidative stress index was lower in the HRS compared with saline (pâ¯=â¯0.001) and control (pâ¯=â¯0.0001) groups`. Vascular proliferation was higher in the HRS compared with the control group (pâ¯=â¯0.01). CONCLUSION: Repeated HRS injections after trauma increased the viability of skin flap in rat degloving injury model by decreasing local tissue injury, due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and angiogenic effects.
Degloving Injuries/physiopathology , Degloving Injuries/surgery , Graft Survival , Reperfusion Injury/prevention & control , Saline Solution/administration & dosage , Surgical Flaps , Animals , Antioxidants/metabolism , Edema/pathology , Edema/prevention & control , Female , Hindlimb/injuries , Immunohistochemistry , Inflammation/pathology , Inflammation/prevention & control , Malondialdehyde/metabolism , Microcirculation , Models, Animal , Neovascularization, Physiologic , Oxidative Stress , Postoperative Complications/pathology , Postoperative Complications/prevention & control , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Surgical Flaps/blood supply