The effects of irradiation and hyperbaric oxygen therapy on microvascular anastomosis

ABSTRACT

Malignant tumors of the head and neck frequently require treatment with both radiotherapy and surgery. Reconstruction of the defect in previously irradiated field is a challenge to surgeon, who must produce both a functional and an esthetic result. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy(HBO) has been used in an attempt to reduce the deleterious effects of radiation. But the issue of whether prior irradiation and HBO of the recipient site of a free flap affects the result of reconstruction continues to generate controversy. So, the effects of irradiation and hypergbaric oxygen therapy on microvascular anastomosis was evaluated in an experimental study in femoral vessels of rats. The experimental groups were divided into 3 groups, contorol group, irradiation group, and irradiation and HBO group. Preoperative irradiation was delivered in the left groin field with single dose corresponding 2,000cGy and total 48 hours of HBO was given 100% oxygen at 2.4 atmosphere for 4 weeks. The femoral vessels of 60 rats were anastomosed after irradiation and HBO treatment. Three days, 1 week, 2 weeks and 4 weeks after surgery, the femoral vessels were evaluated for patency and histopathologic changes. There was no notable effect of irradiation on patency of femoral vessels in rats and the radiation effects were obvious on histological examination which showed the sloughing of the endothelial cells, subintimal hyperplasia and fibrosis on the media and adventitia of femoral arteries. The histologic changes of the femoral veins were mild and not typical. But the effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy after irradiation was seen not marked difference in irradiation group.