Evaluation of flashlamp-pumped pulsed-dye laser (585 nm) in nonsurgical delay of dorsal rat cutaneous flaps

Background: This study evaluated the efficiency of a flashlamp-pumped pulsed-dye laser operating at 585 nm in the delay of a caudally based, 10 x 3-cm dorsal rat skin flap. Two different laser treatment patterns (only longitudinal borders and the entire surface of the proposed flap) for two different fluences (6 J/cm(2) and 8 J/cm(2)) were compared with an acute untreated control flap as well as two surgical delay methods (incision of longitudinal borders and incision of longitudinal borders plus flap undermining). Methods: Twelve male Sprague-Dawley rats were used in each of seven groups. Two additional rats were used for histologic evaluation and two rats were used for in vivo realtime video monitoring studies. Two weeks after delay procedures, the flaps were raised and sutured on the primarily closed flap donor area. After 5 days, the length of flap survival was measured. The effects of the laser on the cutaneous vasculature and perfusion were assessed by intravenous fluorescein injection, histologic analysis, microangiography, and in vivo real-time video monitoring. Results: No statistically significant improvement in flap survival was observed in any of the laser treatment groups. Conclusions: The overall findings indicate that the flashlamp-pumped pulsed-dye laser operating at 585 nm did not penetrate deep into skin and coagulate the subdermal plexus with tested laser settings and did not induce the delay phenomenon.