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24-Mar-2005
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Arch Hellen Med, 21(6), November-December 2004, 556-562 ORIGINAL PAPER A comparative study in angiogenic activity in free grafts after urethral reconstruction in rabbits E. KAMPOURI,1,4 S. GARDIKIS,1 A. GIATROMANOLAKI,2 P. IPSILANTIS,3 S. BOTAITIS,3 |
OBJECTIVE To determine whether the use of the free penile skin or mucosal grafts from bladder or buccal regions would be more suitable for urethral reconstruction in an animal model, as expressed by the study of angiogenic activity.
METHOD Twenty-eight male, white New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into four groups (O, A, B, and C). Urethrotomy and simple closure was performed in group O (controls, n=4). A ventral urethral defect was created in the other groups. The defect was repaired in an onlay fashion using free penile graft in group A (n=6), buccal mucosal graft in group B (n=6), and bladder mucosal graft in group C (n=6). On the 21st post-operative day, the animals were euthanized. The angiogenic activity was assessed by immunohistochemical methods, using the anti-CD31 MoAb and the APAAP procedures. Statistical analysis was performed using the one-way ANOVA test.
RESULTS The means±SD of angiogenesis in the optical field at an enlargement x200 was: group O 34.16±4.12, group A 61.72±6.42, group B 94.33±6.44, group C 91.50±7.22. The statistical analysis showed statistically significant differences (P<0.001) between groups A and B and groups A and C but no statistical difference (P=0.896) between groups B and C.
CONCLUSIONS The viability of mucosal grafts from buccal or bladder regions proved better than free penile graft, because of higher angiogenic activity.
Key words: Angiogenesis, Bladder mucosa, Buccal mucosa, Free penile graft, Graft, Rabbit, Urethral defect.
