The effect of ovariectomy on the skin flap viability and myeloperoxidase levels

Abstract

Objectives: Estrogen could affect the rate and quality of wound healing in skin. We aimed to investigate the effects of ovariectomy on skin fl ap viability and myeloperoxidase (MPO) levels in a rat model. Background: Estrogens have many important benefi cial and protective roles in skin that they improve collagen content and quality, maintain skin thickness and enhance vascularization. It has been shown that estrogen supplementation accelerates cutaneous wound healing in elderly patients. Methods: Forty-eight cycling female Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into three groups (n = 16); ovariectomy (Group 1), sham (Group 2), and control (Group 3). Rats were subjected to bilateral ovariectomy in the Group 1, and only laparotomy in the Group 2. Twenty-one days later in the Group 1 and 2, a dorsal caudally based skin fl ap elevation was done. In the Group 3, the rats had a dorsal skin fl ap without any surgical intervention. Ten days later, the fl aps were harvested for histopathologic examination and biochemical analyses. Results: The rats in the Group 1 had signifi cantly larger necrotic area and lower fl ap viability than in the Group 2 and 3 (p<0.05). Histopathologic examination showed that necrotic fl ap regions contained muscle necrosis with an abundant neutrophil infi ltration, and severe edema in the Group 1. The MPO activity in the distal of skin fl aps was signifi cantly higher in the Group 1 compared to the Group 2 and 3 (p<0.05). Conclusion: This study shows that ovariectomy has deleterious effects on skin fl ap viability in a rat model (Tab. 1, Fig. 6, Ref.