Single Muscle Fibre Contractility Testing in Rats to Quantify Ischaemic Muscle Damage During Reperfusion Injury

Histological and immunohistochemical study of the effect of ozone versus erythropoietin on induced skeletal muscle ischemia-reperfusion injury in adult male rats

Ischemia reperfusion (IR) injury of skeletal muscles is a serious problem because of its local and systemic complications. Previous studies reported that ozone and erythropoietin could alleviate IR effect on several organs. The current research is established to evaluate the possible protective role of ozone versus erythropoietin following IR injury of the gastrocnemius muscle. Fifty rats were equally divided into five groups: I control, II ischemia reperfusion (IR), III post-reperfusion ozone treated, IV post-reperfusion erythropoietin-treated, and V recovering post-reperfusion without treatment groups. The right femoral arteries of all rats were clamped for three hours to induce ischemia then clamps were released to allow reperfusion for two hours. Rats of group II were scarified immediately after reperfusion period. Rats of group III were injected with ozone just after reperfusion for 14 days. Animals of group IV were injected with erythropoietin just after reperfusion for 14 days. Rats of group V rats were kept for 2 weeks following reperfusion without treatment. Blood samples were obtained to estimate lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine kinase (CK) enzymes. Gastrocnemius muscle was processed for measurement of tissue malondialdehyde (MDA), as well as examination by light and electron microscopes. iNOS and PCNA immunohistochemistry and statistical analysis were applied. The current results indicated that both ozone and erythropoietin could be used as protective agents reducing the muscular damage induced by IR injury.

Advances in Limb Preservation: From Replantation to Transplantation

Over the course of the last 60 years, microsurgical techniques, instrumentation, operating microscopes, and suture materials have all been perfected. Microsurgery training became part of the standard curriculum in plastic, orthopedic, and hand surgery programs. Despite those advances, limb replantation and transplantation are still surgical emergencies owing to limits in composite tissue viability under ischemia. Amputated parts, particularly containing large volumes of muscle, have to be revascularized within 4 hours in order to prevent permanent tissue damage. Static cold storage is the current standard to prolong ischemia time with limited success. Our research for the last 7 years has focused on extending ischemia time prior to revascularization. Our long-term goal is to make replantation and transplantation procedures elective. The following essay is the summary of our efforts.