European Journal of Plastic Surgery

, Volume 21, Issue 1, pp 31–37 | Cite as

Neutrophil function and pO2 in irradiated skin- and skin-muscle-flaps

  • C. J. Gabka
  • P. Benhaim
  • S. J. Mathes
  • A. Chan
  • K. K. Fu
  • T. K. Hunt
Original
Received:
Accepted:

Abstract

Results of earlier investigations have demonstrated impaired function of polymorph-nuclear cells (PMN) in previously irradiated tissue. This study was designed to examine the effect of local oxygen pressure (pO2) on neutrophil function in irradiated tissue. By choosing a pig model of irradiated and non-irradiated high perfusion wound environment (i.e. musculo-cutaneous (MC) flap) vs. a poor perfusion wound environment (i.e. random pattern (RP) skin flap), the effect of different pO2 levels on neutrophil phagocytosis and respiratory burst (H2O2 production) were measured at 6, 12, and 16 weeks after irradiation. In both kinds of irradiated flaps, pO2 levels and neutrophil function were significantly lower (RP: <20 mmHg; MC: 30 mmHg) than in corresponding flaps from non-irradiated tissue (RP: 26–28 mmHg; MC: 30–40 mmHg) and showed a progressive decline with increasing time interval after irradiation. Correlation between pO2 and phagocytosis (p=0.001) and H2O2 production (p=0.02) proved to be statistically significant for the irradiated random pattern flaps, but not for musculocutaneous flaps.

Key words

Irradiation Neutrophil function pO2 Skin flap 
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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag 1998

Authors and Affiliations

  • C. J. Gabka
    • 1
  • P. Benhaim
    • 2
  • S. J. Mathes
    • 2
  • A. Chan
    • 3
  • K. K. Fu
    • 3
  • T. K. Hunt
    • 4
  1. 1.Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of SurgeryKlinikum Großhadern, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität MünchenMünchenGermany
  2. 2.Division of Plastic and Reconstructive SurgeryUniversity of California at San FranciscoSan FranciscoUSA
  3. 3.Department of RadiologyUniversity of California at San FranciscoSan FranciscoUSA
  4. 4.Department of SurgeryUniversity of California at San FranciscoSan FranciscoUSA

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