Prevention of blood-transfusion-induced impairment of anastomotic healing by leucocyte depletion in rats.
OBJECTIVE
To find out what effect whole blood and leucocyte-depleted blood transfusions had on the healing process of intestinal anastomoses in rats.


METHODS
Experimental study.


METHODS
Teaching hospital, Greece.


METHODS
100 Wistar rats in five groups of 20 each.


METHODS
Small and large bowel anastomoses were made and the five groups were given normal saline, homologous whole blood, heterologous whole blood obtained from PVG rats, homologous leucocyte-depleted blood or heterologous leucocytedepleted blood during the operation.


METHODS
Bursting pressures of anastomoses on the third and seventh postoperative days and infective complications.


RESULTS
The groups given whole blood transfusions had significantly more anastomotic abscesses than controls (p = 0.003 compared with heterologous, p = 0.05 compared with homologous for the small bowel, and p = 0.007 for the large bowel). The pressure measurements indicated a significant reduction in anastomotic strength in the same groups compared with the control group (p = 0.0001/p = 0.001 on the third postoperative day, and p = 0.00001/p = 0.0004 on the seventh postoperative day for small and large bowel, respectively). There was no reduction in anastomotic strength in the leucocyte-depleted blood groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Transfusion of leucocyte-depleted blood does not seem to impair intestinal anastomotic healing and carries an acceptable incidence of postoperative complications.
Apostolidis
S A
SA
First Surgical Propedeutic Clinic, Aristotle's University of Thessaloniki, AHEPA Hospital, Greece.
Michalopoulos
A A
AA
Hytiroglou
P M
PM
Papadopoulos
B N
BN
Fachantidis
E P
EP
Basdanis
G A
GA
Catsohis
C D
CD
D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D000818:Animals; D016913:Blood Component Transfusion; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D007422:Intestines / Q000601:surgery; D007962:Leukocytes; D023421:Models, Animal; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012421:Rupture; D013529:Surgical Wound Dehiscence / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D065227:Transfusion Reaction; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology*