Tanshinone IIA pretreatment protects free flaps against hypoxic injury by upregulating stem cell-related biomarkers in epithelial skin cells

Background Partial or total flap necrosis after flap transplantation is sometimes encountered in reconstructive surgery, often as a result of a period of hypoxia that exceeds the tolerance of the flap tissue. The purpose of this study was to determine whether Tanshinone IIA (TSA) pretreatment can protect flap tissue against hypoxic injury and improve its viability.