The effect of local anaesthetic on delayed bleeding in a epigastric flap model of rats.

OBJECTIVE

Local anaesthetics are often used in plastic surgery practice. Through their mechanism of action, local anaesthetics produce a sympathetic blockage with a subsequent vasodilatation and a resulting local increase of perfusion. The effect of vasodilation of the local anaesthetics causes bleeding locally resulting in haematoma, bruising and/or pain. We present an experimental study of the effects of local anaesthetics on delayed bleeding.

METHOD: In this animal study, 36 adult male Wistar rats were divided into four groups of nine animals: lidocaine; lidocaine and epinephrine; bupivacaine; and control. An epigastric flap model was harvested. Local anaesthetics that are frequently used in daily practice were administered in equal amounts to the harvested flap.

RESULTS

After 24 hours, the rats were euthanised to collect and measure all coagula under the epigastric flap. No statistically significant differences in relation to the amount of coagulum were found between the groups.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that proper haemostasis is achieved, there is no difference on the effect of delayed bleeding between the local anaesthetics which are often used.