title: The importance of vascular endothelial growth factor in the healing of acute tympanic membrane perforation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to determine the more important growth factor expression between basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the healing of acute tympanic membrane (TM) perforation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Bilateral perforations of the TM were created in 12 rats. The TM perforations in the right ears were treated with dexamethasone, and left ears were designated as the control group. The TM was examined for the growth factor expression immunohistochemically in the epithelial and fibrous layers according to the rate of TM perforation healing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean spontaneous healing time of the TM perforations was 11.0 +/- 2.0 days. However, dexamethasone-treated group showed no evidence of closure. The bFGF and VEGF expression were significantly correlated with the rate of healing of acute TM perforations. The VEGF expression was decreased both in the epithelial and fibrous layers, but bFGF expression was decreased only in the epithelial layer in the dexamethasone-treated group. The VEGF was expressed to a lesser degree than bFGF in the dexamethasone-treated group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vascular endothelial growth factor is the more specific and important growth factor than bFGF in the healing of acute TM perforation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, South Korea.
authors.forename: Kyu-Sup
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Dong-Gun
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Dong-Hoon
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Young-Dae
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Kyong-Myong
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Chon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000494:pharmacology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014432:Tympanic Membrane / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018058:Tympanic Membrane Perforation; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D003907:Dexamethasone