Comparison of angiogenic activities after urethral reconstruction using free grafts in rabbits.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the most suitable type of graft-free penile skin grafts or mucosal grafts from bladder or buccal regions - for urethral reconstruction in an animal model, as evaluated on the basis of angiogenic activity.


METHODS
Twenty-two male White New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into four groups. In the control group (group O, n=4) a simple urethrotomy and closure was performed, whereas a ventral urethral defect was created in groups A, B, and C and then bridged using the following onlay patches: free penile skin (group A, n=6), buccal mucosal graft (group B, n=6), and bladder mucosal graft (group C, n=6). On the 21st postoperative day, the animals were sacrificed and the retrieved implants were subjected to macroscopic and microscopic analysis. The angiogenic activity was assessed with immunohistochemistry, using the anti-CD31 MoAb and the phosphatase antialkaline phosphatase procedure. The native vascularity of penile skin as well as buccal and bladder mucosa was assessed in rabbits from group O (n=3). Statistical analysis was performed using the one-way ANOVA.


RESULTS
The angiogenesis in a magnification of x200 in groups O, A, B, and C was 34.1+/-4.1 (mean+/-SD), 61.7+/-6.4, 94.3+/-6.4, and 91.5+/-7.2 vessels per optical field, respectively. There were, statistically significant differences (p<0.001) between groups A and B and between groups A and C, but not (p>0.05) between groups B and C. The native vascularity of penile skin, buccal mucosa and bladder mucosa was 23.3+/-3.0, 24.6+/-3.7 and 17.0+/-2.6 vessels per optical field, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The viability of mucosal grafts from bladder or buccal regions is better than that of a free penile graft because of higher angiogenic activity. Although the mucosal grafts showed the same angiogenic activity, the buccal mucosa graft is preferable because of its easier harvesting.
Gardikis
Stefanos
S
Department of Paediatric Surgery, School of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece. sgardik@med.duth.gr
Giatromanolaki
Alexandra
A
Ypsilantis
Petros
P
Botaitis
Sotiris
S
Perente
Sabach
S
Kambouri
Aikaterini
A
Efstathiou
Eleftheria
E
Antypas
Spyros
S
Polychronidis
Alexandros
A
Touloupidis
Stavros
S
Sivridis
Efthimios
E
Simopoulos
Constantinos
C
D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008297:Male; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000637:transplantation; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000637:transplantation; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D011817:Rabbits; D011897:Random Allocation; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D019737:Transplants; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014521:Urethra / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000601:surgery*; D019459:Urothelium / Q000637:transplantation