Effectiveness of IV Vitamin C in Reducing Oxidative Stress Associated With Free Flap Surgery

Summary

Ischemia and reperfusion injury during free flap reconstructive surgery creates a state of increased oxidative stress that can adversely affect the flap outcomes. Ascorbic acid (AA) had been proven to have beneficial effect on end-organ protection and flap survival from ischemia-reperfusion injury via its antioxidant properties. The investigators hypothesise that perioperative parenteral ascorbic acid treatment may reduce oxidative stress among participants undergoing free flap reconstructive surgery along with reduction in inflammatory markers, improved rate of flap viability and wound healing at both donor and recipient sites.

Timeline

Start

2022-09-25

Primary completion

2023-07-31

Completion

2023-07-31

Publications

• Background Ballestin A, Casado JG, Abellan E, Vela FJ, Alvarez V, Uson A, Lopez E, Marinaro F, Blazquez R, Sanchez-Margallo FM. Ischemia-reperfusion injury in a rat microvascular skin free flap model: A histological, genetic, and blood flow study. PLoS One. 2018 Dec 27;13(12):e0209624. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0209624. eCollection 2018.
• Background Schafer M, Werner S. Oxidative stress in normal and impaired wound repair. Pharmacol Res. 2008 Aug;58(2):165-71. doi: 10.1016/j.phrs.2008.06.004. Epub 2008 Jun 19.
• Background Siemionow M, Arslan E. Ischemia/reperfusion injury: a review in relation to free tissue transfers. Microsurgery. 2004;24(6):468-75. doi: 10.1002/micr.20060.
• Background Stepanovs J, Ozoliņa A, Rovīte V, Mamaja B, Vanags I. Factors Affecting the Risk of Free Flap Failure in Microvascular Surgery. Proc Latv Acad Sci Sect B Nat Exact, Appl Sci. 2016;70(6):356-364. doi:10.1515/prolas-2016-0039.
• Background Tsai MS, Huang CH, Tsai CY, Chen HW, Lee HC, Cheng HJ, Hsu CY, Wang TD, Chang WT, Chen WJ. Ascorbic acid mitigates the myocardial injury after cardiac arrest and electrical shock. Intensive Care Med. 2011 Dec;37(12):2033-40. doi: 10.1007/s00134-011-2362-6. Epub 2011 Sep 28.
• Background Azari O, Kheirandish R, Azizi S, Farajli Abbasi M, Ghahramani Gareh Chaman S, Bidi M. Protective Effects of Hydrocortisone, Vitamin C and E Alone or in Combination against Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Rat. Iran J Pathol. 2015 Fall;10(4):272-80.
• Background Lee WY, Lee JS, Lee SM. Protective effects of combined ischemic preconditioning and ascorbic acid on mitochondrial injury in hepatic ischemia/reperfusion. J Surg Res. 2007 Sep;142(1):45-52. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2006.08.043. Epub 2007 Jun 7.
• Background Wang ZJ, Hu WK, Liu YY, Shi DM, Cheng WJ, Guo YH, Yang Q, Zhao YX, Zhou YJ. The effect of intravenous vitamin C infusion on periprocedural myocardial injury for patients undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention. Can J Cardiol. 2014 Jan;30(1):96-101. doi: 10.1016/j.cjca.2013.08.018.
• Background Zaccaria A, Weinzweig N, Yoshitake M, Matsuda T, Cohen M. Vitamin C reduces ischemia-reperfusion injury in a rat epigastric island skin flap model. Ann Plast Surg. 1994 Dec;33(6):620-3. doi: 10.1097/00000637-199412000-00010.
• Background Fowler AA 3rd, Syed AA, Knowlson S, Sculthorpe R, Farthing D, DeWilde C, Farthing CA, Larus TL, Martin E, Brophy DF, Gupta S; Medical Respiratory Intensive Care Unit Nursing; Fisher BJ, Natarajan R. Phase I safety trial of intravenous ascorbic acid in patients with severe sepsis. J Transl Med. 2014 Jan 31;12:32. doi: 10.1186/1479-5876-12-32.
• Background Padayatty SJ, Sun AY, Chen Q, Espey MG, Drisko J, Levine M. Vitamin C: intravenous use by complementary and alternative medicine practitioners and adverse effects. PLoS One. 2010 Jul 7;5(7):e11414. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0011414.
• Background Stephenson CM, Levin RD, Spector T, Lis CG. Phase I clinical trial to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of high-dose intravenous ascorbic acid in patients with advanced cancer. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol. 2013 Jul;72(1):139-46. doi: 10.1007/s00280-013-2179-9. Epub 2013 May 14.
• Background Hoffer LJ, Robitaille L, Zakarian R, Melnychuk D, Kavan P, Agulnik J, Cohen V, Small D, Miller WH Jr. High-dose intravenous vitamin C combined with cytotoxic chemotherapy in patients with advanced cancer: a phase I-II clinical trial. PLoS One. 2015 Apr 7;10(4):e0120228. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0120228. eCollection 2015.

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