Ischemia and Reperfusion Injury in Reconstructive Transplantation

Barbara Kern and Robert Suc

Abstract

The reestablishment of blood supply to the ischemic tissue leads to a cascade of deleterious pathophysiological conditions that ultimately culminate in a vicious cycle termed ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI). This article reviews the pathophysiology of IRI in vascularized composite tissue allotransplantation (VCA).