Influence of growth factors erythropoietin and granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor on mechanical strength and healing of colonic anastomoses in rats.
OBJECTIVE
To find out what influence erythropoietin and granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) had on the healing of left colonic anastomoses in rats.


METHODS
Experimental study.


METHODS
University hospital of Ioannina, Greece.


METHODS
40 rats.


METHODS
An end to end anastomosis was created in the left colon. The rats in the experimental groups were treated with erythropoietin, or GM-CSF, or the two in combination.


METHODS
Tensile breaking strength of the anastomosis, histological characteristics of the anastomosed segment, changes in body weight, and packed cell volume (PCV) during the experiment.


RESULTS
The tensile breaking strength of the anastomosis on the seventh postoperative day was significantly greater in the erythropoietin group (mean 2.8N, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.12N, p 0.0004) than in the control group (mean 1.60N, 95% CI 0.12N). It did not differ from the GM-CSF groups (mean 1.67N, 95% CI 0.21N, p 0.68) or erythropoietin GM-CSF (mean 1.67N, 95% CI 0.11N, p 0.44). The PCV was significantly higher in the two groups given erythropoietin (p < 0.001) but not in the GM-CSF group (p 0.8) while that in the control group was significantly lower (p < 0.001). The body weight followed the same pattern, being significantly more in the two groups given erythropoietin (p = 0.03 and 0.003) but not in controls (p = 0.09) or the GM-CSF group (p = 0.2).


CONCLUSIONS
Erythropoietin enhances the healing of anastomosis in rat colon by increasing the number of fibroblasts and accelerating the maturation of new vessels.
Fatouros
M S
MS
Department of Surgery, University of Ioannina, Greece.
Vekinis
G
G
Bourantas
K L
KL
Mylonakis
E P
EP
Scopelitou
A S
AS
Malamou-Mitsis
V D
VD
Kappas
A M
AM
D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D003106:Colon / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000502:physiology*; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013718:Tensile Strength; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology*
D004921:Erythropoietin; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor