Effect of Oral Cilostazol on the Patency of Microvascular Anastomoses in Rats

Abstract

In order to evaluate the effect of cilostazol on patency of microvascular anastomoses, a double blind control study was performed on microanastomoses of the femoral artery in rats. Thirty female Spraque- Dawley rats were divided into two groups according to a blind protocol. One group (group A) was given cilostazol orally (10 mg/ kg) 2 hours before the operation and for 7 days post-operatively. The other group (group B) received normal saline solution orally in the same amounts and at the same times as group A. The femoral artery anastomoses were performed under standard microvascular conditions. Seven days post-operatively, the patency of the arterial anatomoses was evaluated by Acland's test and histological study. The patency rate by Acland's test was 73% in group A, and 53% in group B. There was no significant difference between the patency rates of these two groups (p = 0.082). The area of the patency of the lumen by histological study was 61.67% in group A and 48% in group B. There was no significant difference between the groups in relation to patency of the microanastomoses (p = 0.381). There were no complications observed in this study.