Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury
Fundamentally, it occurs as a result of an imbalance between oxygen
supply and oxygen demand. Accordingly, it is a complication of many types
of surgical intervention, including organ transplantation, revascularization,
and the tissue transfers (“flaps”) that are one of the hallmarks of
reconstructive surgery.

Acutely aware of the clinical problems that result from ischemia-
reperfusion injury, Dr Spector was intrigued by seminal work published in
2005 that demonstrated that mice exposed to low levels of hydrogen
sulfide entered a “suspended animation”-like state.  He realized that the
underlying effect of hydrogen sulfide was to decrease metabolic activity,
effectively decreasing the tissues’ need for oxygen.  If the effect of hydrogen
sulfide could be safely harnessed and decrease the oxygen requirement
of an area of the body that has decreased oxygen supply the balance
between oxygen supply and demand could be restored, then the amount of
injury could be decreased, if not completely prevented.   Research
conducted in the LBMS over the past two years has shown extremely
promising results, with both in vitro and in vivo models confirming the
protective effect of hydrogen sulfide during ischemia and reperfusion.  
Work with hydrogen sulfide is ongoing, as we employ state-of-the-art
technology to further determine both the underlying mechanism, as well as
potential methods for applying this work to patient care.
 When a tissue is deprived of
oxygen (such as the
myocardium during a heart
attack), injury results during the
time when oxygen supply is low
(ischemia), and it also occurs
when the oxygen supply is
restored (reperfusion).  This
ischemia-reperfusion injury is a
well described, though not well
understood, phenomenon.