Collagen changes around intestinal anastomoses in germ-free rats.
The changes in collagen, measured as hydroxyproline, concentration around both ileal and colonic anastomoses in germ-free and control rats have been investigated and compared with each other. The germ-free rats were raised, operated on and maintained under completely pyrogen-free conditions. Animals were killed 2, 3 or 7 days after operation. There was a significant reduction in the lowering of hydroxyproline concentrations around the colonic anastomosis of germ-free rats compared with control rats both in the anastomosis at days 2 and 3 (P = 0.04 and P = 0.006 respectively) and in the proximal segment at day 3 (P = 0.03). In ileal anastomoses, significant differences between control and germ-free rats were only found at 7 days. Here, the increase in hydroxyproline concentration observed in control rats was significantly reduced in germ-free rats. These data are taken to support the hypothesis that bacteria affect colonic anastomotic healing by contributing to postoperative collagen degradation.
Department of General Surgery, St. Radboud University Hospital, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
W J
WJ
Mastboom
T
T
Hendriks
H H
HH
de Boer
D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D000818:Animals; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism*; D003106:Colon / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery*; D005856:Germ-Free Life; D006909:Hydroxyproline / Q000378:metabolism; D007082:Ileum / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D014945:Wound Healing
D011506:Proteins; D003094:Collagen; D006909:Hydroxyproline