title: [Rabbit urethral defect repair with freeze-dried acellular bladder submucosa].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the result of urethral defect repair using freeze-dried acellular bladder submucosa.
  
  
  METHODS
  The freeze-dried acellular bladder submucosa was obtained from human cadaveric bladder submucosa using freeze-thawed enzymatic treatment and the freeze-drying technique. 18 male New Zealand rabbits were used in this experiment. A defect of 1.0 cm x 0.5 cm was created in the ventral urethra of the animal. The acellular matrix was grafted to the urethral defect in 14 rabbits. The other 4 animals underwent a sham operation as the controls. From postoperative one to twenty-four weeks, the animals underwent retrograde urethrography at certain intervals. The grafts of the acellular matrix were taken and prepared for histological evaluation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No obvious urethral stricture was observed in the 14 matrix-grafted animals. Histological examinations of the specimens showed progressive infiltration of cells and vascular vessels. Complete epithelization was obtained at 2 weeks. The orientation of collagen fibers in the matrix-grafted area tended to be regular with time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Freeze-dried acellular bladder submucosa may be a suitable material for urethral defect repair, which induces urethral mucous cells to migrate, grow and epithelialize.
authors.affiliation: Plastic Surgery Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100041, China.
authors.forename: Yong-qian
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yang-qun
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Li-qiang
authors.initials: LQ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jia-jie
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Ran
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Huo
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Sen-kai
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000637:transplantation*; D005612:Freeze Drying; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000166:cytology; D011817:Rabbits; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods; D014521:Urethra / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D014525:Urethral Stricture; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000166:cytology