title: Healing of traumatic diaphragm injuries: comparison of laparoscopic versus open techniques in an animal model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Minimally invasive surgical techniques have become routinely applied to the evaluation and treatment of patients with isolated diaphragmatic injuries due to penetrating trauma. The objective of the study was to compare the healing of diaphragm injuries as determined by macroscopic inspection, histologic appearance, and tensile strength following repair by open suturing, laparoscopic suturing, and laparoscopic stapling techniques in an animal model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a pig model, three injuries were created and repaired in each hemidiaphragm of five animals, for a total of 30 lacerations. These injuries were repaired using single-layer open repair, single-layer laparoscopic repair, or laparoscopic stapling. After a 6-week healing period the animals were sacrificed. The gross integrity, histologic appearance using H+E and trichrome satins, and tensile strength of each repair were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All injuries were grossly intact without dehiscence or herniation. Histologic examination revealed no difference in the collagen deposition between the three groups. The tensile strengths of each type of repair were similar.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Laparoscopic techniques used to repair diaphragmatic injuries allow for adequate healing equivalent to open sutured repairs. Simple approximation of the peritoneum with laparoscopic staples allows full-thickness healing of these injuries.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: E E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Cornwell
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Velmahos
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Rivkind
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hedman
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Abrahams
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Katkhouda
authors.forename: T V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Berne
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Demetriades
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003964:Diaphragm / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D022125:Lacerations / Q000601:surgery; D010535:Laparoscopy; D013537:Sutures; D013552:Swine; D013718:Tensile Strength; D014945:Wound Healing