Effects of Botulinum Toxin Type A on the Axial Skin Flap Survival

Abstract

BACKGROUND A suitable pharmacological substitute for the well-established surgical delay technique for axial skin flaps regarding increasing viability is elusive. We aimed to evaluate the effects of botulinum toxin type A (BTA) on the axial skin flap survival in a rat model. METHODS The present controlled experimental study was performed in Kerman University of Medical Science, Kermanshah, Iran during 2016-2017 on three groups of rats. Group 1 (control group) had no preconditioning while Groups 2 and 3 were preconditioned by the intradermal injection of normal saline (0.5 ml) in the cephalic end of the skin flap and the injection of the BTA (1.6 units Neuronex) reconstituted in normal saline, respectively. Two weeks after this intervention in each group, the flap was raised and kept in situ and a biopsy was simultaneously taken for evaluating neoangiogenesis, followed by evaluating flap necrosis after two weeks of following-up by photography. RESULTS Although BTA induced angiogenesis significantly, it failed to reduce the area of necrosis compared to the other groups. CONCLUSION BTA was effective in increasing angiogenesis in the axial skin flap although it was unable to reduce necrosis.

Botulinum toxin type A activates protective autophagy by modulating endoplasmic reticulum stress in hypoxia/reoxygenation-treated endothelial cells

“…Recently, the clinical practice of BTXA has been expanded for hypertrophic scar, keloid, facial spasms, blepharospasm, primary facial hyperhidrosis, and facial rejuvenation [ [6] , [7] , [8] ]. Furthermore, there is growing evidence that BTXA can be used to treat I/R injury in a variety of animal flap and cell models [ [9] , [10] , [11] , [12] ]. For example, pre-surgical BTXA treatment increased angiogenesis and blood perfusion and obtained a greater proportion of the survival area of skin flaps.…”