Epoprostenol & Its Use in Microvascular Surgery – A Useful Aid to Flap Salvage Secondary to Recalcitrant Vasospasm?
Author Info
Suzanne Beecher
Gráinne Bourke
E Jason Kelly
Corresponding Author
Suzanne Beecher
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Cork University Hospital, Cork, Ireland
A B S T R A C T
Systemic intravenous epoprostenol, as well as being a vasodilator, is the most potent inhibitor of platelet
aggregation known. Early research carried out on its use in microvascular surgery showed promising results
in preventing thrombosis and improving flap survival rates, however interest in its use in microsurgery has
diminished in recent years. In this report we describe its use in successful free flap salvage and discuss its
role in microsurgery.
Article Info
Article Type
Case Report
Publication history
Received: Fri 30, Oct 2020
Accepted: Wed 11, Nov 2020
Published: Tue 01, Dec 2020
Copyright
© 2023 Suzanne Beecher. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Hosting by Science Repository.
DOI:
10.31487/j.SCR.2020.12.01