Aging effects on pedicled fasciocutaneous flap survival in rats.

Publication/Presentation Date

4-1-2016

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Poorer surgical outcomes in older patients undergoing locoregional head and neck reconstruction have raised questions about tolerance of aging tissue to iatrogenic ischemic insults.

METHODS: We examined the effects of aging on viability of pedicled composite flaps in 2-month and 6-month old Sprague-Dawley male rats and correlated flap survival with vascular endogenous growth factor (VEGF) and VEGF receptor 2-mediated signaling events. Flap segments were assessed for gross/cellular necrosis by optical microscopy and for proangiogenic, apoptotic, and proliferative protein-marker content.

RESULTS: Flap necrosis significantly increased with age (4.2% in young vs 49.17% in old), correlating with reduced expression of VEGF, inhibition of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), and Akt activation, impaired Akt-dependent endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) phosphorylation, elevated Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, activation of Caspase-3, upregulated nuclear poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) cleavage and lower proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) levels.

CONCLUSION: Pedicled flap survival is higher in younger rats in part because of unhindered expression of VEGF and enhanced activity of cell survival and promigratory signaling pathways. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: E1152-E1162, 2016.

Volume

38 Suppl 1

First Page

1152

Last Page

1162

ISSN

1097-0347

Disciplines

Business Administration, Management, and Operations | Health and Medical Administration | Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods

PubMedID

26332025

Department(s)

Administration and Leadership

Document Type

Article

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