Trace element levels in ischemia-reperfusion injury after left colonic anastomosis in rats and effects of papaverine and pentoxiphylline on vascular endothelial growth factor in anastomosis healing

Background and study aims : Due to their high morbidity and mortality, anastomotic leakage and disruption are still serious problems in colonic surgery. Bowel clamps applied during anasto- mosis in order to prevent abdominal contamination with colonic contents, may cause microcirculation and perfusion problems and subsequent ischemia-reperfusion injury. Papaverine, a myorelax- ant and vasodilatator, and pentoxiphylline, a hemorrheologic agent are used for microcirculation disorders and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a stimulator of angiogenesis. With this experimental study, we aimed to measure trace element [copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn)] levels in ischemia-reperfusion injury due to clamps after left colonic anastomosis in rats and show the effects of papaverine and pentoxiphylline on VEGF that stimulates angio- genesis in anastomotic healing.