The Effect of Carnitine on Doxorubicin Induced Extravasation Injuries: A New Treatment Method for Extravasation Injuries

Objective: Doxorubicin is an anthracycline antibiotic widely used as an antineoplastic agent, therefore extravasation injuries due to doxorubicin is common. The incidence of necrosis due to extravasation has been reported to occur between 0.5%-6%. In pediatric patients, this rate increased up to %11 in various studies. Material and Methods:. An experimental study was designed and 56 rats were randomly divided into 7 groups. Doxorubicin induced extravasation injury was created in all rats. Standard dose carnitine was used in all groups with different methods and periods. Necrosis sizes were measured weekly for each group and results were analyzed statistically. Results: Significant difference were found between each groups necrosis sizes (p<0.001). Necrosis sizes were evaluated weekly for each group. Significant difference were seen each week in necrosis sizes. The difference was p>0.001 between 1st and 4th week, p=0.006 between 2nd and 3rd week, p>0.001 between 2nd and 4th week and p>0.001 between 3rd and 4th week. Conclusion: We aimed to investigate the effect of carnitine on doxorubicin induced extravasation injuries. This experimental study revealed that carnitine was associated with decreased progression of skin necrosis and improved wound healing. It is possible to say that carnitine might decrease the necessity for surgical intervention for doxorubicin induced extravasation injuries.