Fibrosis in tubularized skin flaps in rats, using silicon catheters with two different degrees of flexibility. Experimental model.
OBJECTIVE
Microscopically evaluate the intensity of fibrosis in tubularized skin flaps on the back of Wistar rats, using silicon molds with different degrees of flexibility.


METHODS
Twenty rats were submitted to three tubularized skin flaps on their backs. In two tubular flaps, we placed, as a mold, silicon catheters with different degrees of flexibility and removed them on the seventh day after the surgery. They were divided into two groups and euthanized, on the seventh and twenty-first days respectively after the surgery for the collection of the pieces, coloration with Masson tricromic, quantification of the area of each sample and comparison among the groups.


RESULTS
Fibrosis was less intense on the tubular flaps where a catheter was not used as a mold. No significant difference was verified among the pieces with the silicon catheters, but there was a tendency of less fibrosis on the tubules with the most flexible catheter.


CONCLUSIONS
There was no significant difference among the two catheter types. Fibrosis was less intense in the flaps where the mold was not used.
Division of Pediatric Surgery, College of Medicine of Marília, São Paulo, Brazil. ahrpassos@uol.com.br
Antonio Henrique Rodrigues dos
AH
Passos
Fernando
F
Costa
Lúcio Tedesco
LT
Marchese
Sergio Augusto Catanzaro
SA
Guimarães
Wilson Aparecido
WA
Oreini
D000818:Animals; D001415:Back; D002404:Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D007021:Hypospadias / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012825:Silicon; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000473:pathology*; D014525:Urethral Stricture / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology
D012825:Silicon