Effect of Dimethyl Sulphoxide On Necrosis of Skin Flaps in Rats

Abstract

I da Silva Duarte, HF de Carvalho Gomes, LM Ferreira. Effect of dimethyl sulphoxide on necrosis of skin flaps in rats. Can J Plast Surg 1998;6(2):93-97. The effect of dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) on necrosis of the distal portion of random skin flaps was studied. Twenty-eight Wistar-EPM rats each had a random skin flap created that measured 10×4 cm. A plastic barrier was interposed between the flap and the bed. Rats in group 1 received distilled water and those in group 2 received DMSO 2 mL/kg/day by intragastric lavage for seven days. The percentages of necrotic area were calculated in the two groups, and malondialdehyde (MDA) was measured in the serum, in the samples of normal skin and in the transition region from viable to necrotic skin. Statistical analysis showed that DMSO was efficient in reducing the necrotic areas and MDA values compared with results from group 1. Statistical analysis also revealed that the action of DMSO as an antioxidant can be inferred to be the mechanism responsible for the results obtained.