Effect of a prostaglandin I2 analogue, beraprost sodium, on burn-induced gastric mucosal injury in rats.

Stress ulcers still have a high mortality in critically burned patients and the pathophysiology remains relatively unknown. Impaired gastric mucosal perfusion is one of the factors contributing to gastric mucosal ulceration. Burn injury causes thrombosis and vascular occlusion by increasing the blood viscosity, resulting in decreased organ perfusion.

Reduction of progressive burn injury by using a new nonselective endothelin-A and endothelin-B receptor antagonist, TAK-044: an experimental study in rats.

Endothelins are well-known vasoconstrictor peptides produced by vascular endothelial cells that have been reported to have a fundamental role in regulation of the systemic blood circulation. Plasma levels of endothelins are increased by burn injury, which also causes thrombosis and occlusion of vessels in the dermis as well as a vascular response in the adjacent uninjured dermis. Diminished blood flow leads to progressive ischemia and necrosis of the dermis beneath and around the burn (zone of stasis).

A new experimental model of a true myocutaneous flap in the rat: the gluteus maximus myocutaneous flap.

Rat myocutaneous flap models are relatively rare. The authors describe the development of a new myocutaneous flap model using the gluteus muscle in rats. A description of the anatomy of the gluteus maximus is included, along with a method of producing skin-island gluteus maximus myocutaneous flaps that can be pedicled or free.

Two cases of Merkel cell carcinoma cured by intratumor injection of natural human tumor necrosis factor.

Two patients were treated with intratumor injection of natural human tumor necrosis factor for recurrent or primary Merkel cell carcinoma. In both patients, local chemotherapy achieved complete tumor regression without causing ulceration or scarring. These results suggest that intratumor injection of natural human tumor necrosis factor may be very effective for the treatment of Merkel cell carcinoma.

Reduction of progressive burn injury by a stable prostaglandin I2 analogue, beraprost sodium (Procylin): an experimental study in rats.

Beraprost sodium is a chemically stable prostaglandin I2 analogue with antiplatelet and vasodilator actions. Burn injury causes thrombosis and vessel occlusion by increasing the blood viscosity and by thermal damage to the vascular network in the dermis. A vascular response also occurs in the uninjured dermis surrounding the site of injury.