Use of porcine small intestinal submucosa to reconstruct an ovarian defect.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the feasibility of using porcine small intestinal submucosa (SIS) as a scaffold for repairing ovarian defects.


METHODS
Fourteen female New Zealand rabbits undergoing ovarian resection were randomly allocated to 2 equal groups. The unilateral ovarian defects were repaired with SIS in group 1 animals and without SIS in group 2 animals (control). The volumes of the ovaries were calculated and the severity of adhesions was assessed in 1 animal from each group each month. The ovaries were removed and examined under a microscope.


RESULTS
The volumes of the SIS-grafted ovaries were larger than those of the operated ovaries of the control animals (P<0.05). The SIS-grafted ovaries had a lower adhesion score than the operated ovaries of the control group (P<0.001). SIS grafts showed hemorrhage and leukocyte infiltration until the 4th week after surgery, but the ovarian tissue appeared to be well organized from the 12th to the 16th week. At the 28th week, primordial follicles were scattered in the SIS graft.


CONCLUSIONS
SIS graft could be used for repairing the ovary after surgery.
Celik
Onder
O
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Inonu University School of Medicine, Malatya, Turkey. oncelik@inonu.edu.tr
Esrefoglu
Mukaddes
M
Hascalik
Seyma
S
Gul
Mehmet
M
Tagluk
M Emin
ME
Elter
Koray
K
Aydin
Engin
E
D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000637:transplantation*; D007421:Intestine, Small; D010053:Ovary / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery*; D011817:Rabbits; D034421:Sus scrofa; D000267:Tissue Adhesions / Q000517:prevention & control; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous; D014945:Wound Healing