The Influence of Exogenous Zinc on the Random Flap

The study investigated the effects of exogenous zinc on ultralong random skin flaps in 96 Wistar rats, divided into normal, control, and treated groups. Results showed that zinc treatment reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) levels by 15.7%-25.2% and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity by 19.7%-21.5%, while increasing metallothionein (MT) levels by 47.7%-105.9% and nitric oxide (NO) content by 70.1%-115.6%. MT was found in various cell types, including epidermal basal cells and hair follicles. The treated group exhibited improved flap viability, indicating that exogenous zinc had protective effects on the skin flaps.