The calcium channel blocker nimodipine has been used successfully in neurological patients for the treatment of vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage and stroke. In this study of experimental random pattern skin flaps in rats, an increase of nearly 50% in the survival rate to 94.33% (±7.3% standard deviation) under nimodipine treatment versus 66.00% (±16.5% standard deviation) in the controls could be demonstrated (p<0.001). Vital dye injections in a separate experiment indicated that the increased flap survival is mainly due to improved microcirculation. The distance traveled by the dye was 8.01 ± 1.21 cm in the experimental versus 6.61 ± 1.25 cm in the control group (p<0.05).