The author has experimentally compared the efficacy of the platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor antagonist (abciximab) in the prevention of platelet aggregation and thrombosis in microvascular surgery using rat models. Twenty rats were used: ten rats were used as a control group and received saline; tem rats received abciximab 0.8 mg/kg administered in the femoral vein. After thirty minutes following administration, all rats underwent vascular thrombosis of the opposite femoral artery through an external trauma promoted by IMPACTOR, a device developed by the New York University to serve as a model of the spinal cord injury and the arterial damage. All rats were submitted to microvascular anastomoses using mononylon 10-0 and separated suture at the site of the external trauma. Patency tests were performed on femoral arteries 10, 20 and 30 minutes after microanastomoses. All femoral arteries were removed for pathological studies to detect presence or absence of thrombus generation at the microanastomoses. After statistical analyses, the author concluded that the use of the platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor antagonist (abciximab) avoided platelet aggregation and thrombosis in microvascular surgery.
platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa complex; thrombosis; microvascular surgery; femoral artery; Wistar rats
