title: Comparison of angiogenic activities after urethral reconstruction using free grafts in rabbits.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Surgery, School of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece. sgardik@med.duth.gr
authors.forename: Stefanos
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gardikis
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giatromanolaki
authors.forename: Petros
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ypsilantis
authors.forename: Sotiris
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Botaitis
authors.forename: Sabach
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Perente
authors.forename: Aikaterini
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kambouri
authors.forename: Eleftheria
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Efstathiou
authors.forename: Spyros
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Antypas
authors.forename: Alexandros
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Polychronidis
authors.forename: Stavros
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Touloupidis
authors.forename: Efthimios
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sivridis
authors.forename: Constantinos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Simopoulos
mesh_terms: 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