title: The effect of chronically increased intra-abdominal pressure on rectus abdominis muscle histology an experimental study on rabbits.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to specify the histologic response of the rectus abdominis muscle of the rabbit, to the chronically increased intra-abdominal pressure.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-five New Zealand white rabbits were divided into three groups. In all groups, a rubber bag was implanted into the peritoneal cavity. In group A (n=15) the bags were kept empty. In group B (n=15) the bags were filled with normal saline in order to achieve an intra-abdominal pressure of over 12 mmHg. This pressure was kept at this level for 8 wk. In group C (n=15) the intra-abdominal rubber bags were filled with lead covered by silicone, equiponderant to the mean weight of the normal saline insufflated in group B. After 8 wk we took biopsies of the rectus abdominis muscle and counted the proportion of the different types of muscular fibers (type I, IIA, and IIB/X).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant difference was found in the proportion of the three types of muscle fibers. Intra-abdominal hypertension led to an increase in type I fibers (P=0.008). No difference was noticed between groups A and C.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The histologic response to the increased intra-abdominal pressure was an increase in type I muscle fibers. Charging with lead did not cause any significant change in the proportion of muscular fibers.
authors.affiliation: 3rd Department of Surgery, AXEPA Hospital Aristotle University of Thessalonica, School of Medicine, Thessaloniki, Greece. skotidis@med.auth.gr
authors.forename: Efstathios V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Kotidis
authors.forename: Theodosis S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Papavramidis
authors.forename: Kostas
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ioannidis
authors.forename: Angeliki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cheva
authors.forename: Thomai
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lazou
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Michalopoulos
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Karkavelas
authors.forename: Spiros T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Papavramidis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001706:Biopsy; D002404:Catheterization; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D059325:Intra-Abdominal Hypertension / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D018656:Muscle Fibers, Fast-Twitch / Q000166:cytology*; D018657:Muscle Fibers, Slow-Twitch / Q000166:cytology*; D009765:Obesity; D010529:Peritoneal Cavity / Q000473:pathology*; D011312:Pressure; D011817:Rabbits; D017568:Rectus Abdominis / Q000166:cytology*