Effect of a silicone-containing dressing on exuberant granulation tissue formation and wound repair in horses.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the effect of a silicone dressing on the rate and quality of repair of limb wounds and compare microvascular occlusion and apoptosis in wounds treated with the silicone dressing and those treated with a conventional dressing in horses.


METHODS
5 horses.


METHODS
Horses received two 6.25-cm2 wounds on each metacarpus. Ten wounds were treated with a silicone dressing; the other 10 were treated with a control dressing. Quality of repair and wound size were evaluated at each bandage change. Time to healing and the number of excisions of exuberant granulation tissue were recorded. Biopsy specimens taken from healed wounds were evaluated semiquantitatively via histologic examination, p53 immunohistochemical analysis, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) to quantify apoptosis, and electron microscopic examination to measure microvessel luminal diameters.


RESULTS
The silicone dressing surpassed the conventional dressing in preventing formation of exuberant granulation tissue and improving tissue quality. Microvessels were occluded significantly more often in wounds dressed with the silicone gel, which also diminished the expression of mutant p53, an indirect inhibitor of apoptosis, although greater apoptosis was not confirmed quantitatively by use of TUNEL.


CONCLUSIONS
Because the silicone dressing inhibited the formation of exuberant granulation tissue, it may be integrated in a management strategy designed to improve the repair of limb wounds in horses.
Ducharme-Desjarlais
Marilys
M
Département de biomédecine vétérinaire, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, St-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 7C6, Canada.
Céleste
Christophe J
CJ
Lepault
Elodie
E
Theoret
Christine L
CL
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D001458:Bandages / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D006097:Granulation Tissue / Q000473:pathology; D006736:Horses / Q000293:injuries*; D020034:Silicone Gels / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology; D014945:Wound Healing
D020034:Silicone Gels