Accelerating tissue expansion by application of topical papaverine cream.

The rate of tissue expansion can be accelerated by papaverine through a special delivery system, according to an early report. Because the delivery system was complex and inconvenient, another means of administrating papaverine was tested to observe the rate of tissue expansion. In this study, 24 miniature pigs were divided equally into three groups. Four 150-ml silicone expanders were implanted into each pig in groups A and C. Four modified rectangular silicone expanders were also implanted into each animal in group B. During the expansion process, 1 g of 2% hydrochloride papaverine cream was applied topically onto the surface of each pig's expanding skin in group A two times daily, and hydrochloride papaverine solution was injected into the outer shell of each modified expander in group B weekly. Group C acted as the control group. The mean sum of the first four times of saline water volume that was injected into the expanders was 142.42 +/- 5.6 ml in group A, 128.72+/-4.8 ml in group B, and 106.38+/-3.28 in group C. There were statistical differences among the three groups. The mean sum of volume saline water that was injected into hind expanders was 137.51 +/- 5.1 ml in group A, 120.35 +/- 3.6 ml in group B, and 102.63 +/- 4.76 ml in group C, and there was a statistical difference among the three groups as well. There was no statistically significant difference in the thickness of fibrous capsules among the three groups. This study shows that the rate of tissue expansion can be accelerated by topical application of papaverine cream, and the rate is better than the rate of tissue expansion induced by the special drug delivery system.