A model of wound healing in chronically radiation-damaged rat skin.
The aim of this investigation was to develop a model for studying the chronic effects of radiation on wound healing in the rat. Six months after rats received a single radiation exposure of 20 Gy, a random-pattern dorsal skin flap was elevated. Two weeks after the flap was elevated, irradiated animals showed diminished scar formation and wound breaking strength, as compared with controls (P < 0.05). The effect of hyperbaric oxygen treatment was investigated in some rats who received 20 sessions at 2.4 atmospheres absolute for 90 min daily, 5 days per week, prior to flap elevation and 10 sessions after creation of the flap. Treated animals showed a trend toward improvements in wound breaking strength and scar formation (P = 0.06). A reproducible model of chronic radiation damage in the rat was established. Further studies involving investigations at times more that 2 weeks post-wounding are needed.
Schwentker
A
A
Department of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia 19104, USA.
Evans
S M
SM
Partington
M
M
Johnson
B L
BL
Koch
C J
CJ
Thom
S R
SR
D000818:Animals; D002908:Chronic Disease; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005260:Female; D006931:Hyperbaric Oxygenation; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced; D011833:Radiation Injuries, Experimental / Q000628:therapy; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012867:Skin / Q000528:radiation effects*; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000528:radiation effects*