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Clinical Trial
. 2000 May;26(5):425-7.
doi: 10.1046/j.1524-4725.2000.99307.x.

A single postoperative application of nitroglycerin ointment does not increase survival of cutaneous flaps and grafts

C L Dunn  1 , D G Brodland, R D Griego, M J Huether, M J Fazio, J A Zitelli
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

A single postoperative application of nitroglycerin ointment does not increase survival of cutaneous flaps and grafts

C L Dunn et al. Dermatol Surg. 2000 May.

Abstract

Background: Nitroglycerin is a vasodilator that has been reported to improve cutaneous flap and graft survival. It has not been tested in controlled studies.

Objective: We designed our study to test the effectiveness of a single postoperative application of nitroglycerin on flap and graft survival.

Methods: Eighty-eight surgical repairs received topical nitroglycerin and 85 received control ointment (polysporin). Treatment sites were evaluated on postoperative day 7 and assigned a percentage of surface area survival.

Results: There was no significant difference in the complication rate of flaps and grafts treated with nitroglycerin (12.5%) compared with those treated with control ointment (8.4%) (P = .244). Subset analysis of flaps as a group and grafts as a group were not meaningful because the complication rates were so low.

Conclusion: There is no survival increase of flaps and grafts treated with a single application of nitroglycerin ointment.

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