title: Histology surrounding cystotomy healing in a Sprague-Dawley rat model.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to histologically chronicle wound healing following cystotomy repair using a small animal model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty female Sprague-Dawley rats were included in this study. Twenty-eight rats underwent a vertical cystotomy in the bladder dome, which was repaired in a single continuous fashion. Two rats served as histological controls. Following cystotomy repair, groups of three to four rats were studied at single day intervals for 4 days, then at 2-day intervals until 10 days post-repair. The animal bladders were harvested and examined for inflammation, scar formation, and bladder healing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty rat bladders were histologically examined. An inflammatory wound phase was observed during the first 4 days after wounding. Transition from acute to chronic inflammation was observed at day 2 with chronic inflammation persisting through day 10. Inflammation severity peaked 4 days post-wounding without regression through day 10. Evidence of proliferative phase wound healing was first observed 4 days post-wounding.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early increases in wound healing are due to inflammatory events such as fibrin plugging of the wound. Later developments after day 4 are due to wound proliferation, collagen deposition, and re-epithelialization. Additionally, wound healing in the rat bladder is observed on a continuum and not necessarily in discrete stages observed on precisely the same postoperative day in each animal.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, 620 John Paul Jones Circle, Portsmouth, VA, 23462, USA.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bilbao
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spaniol
authors.forename: Jeremy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bearss
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schellhase
authors.forename: Stuart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shippey
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aungst
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001777:Blood Coagulation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002634:Chemotaxis, Leukocyte; D003094:Collagen / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D003239:Connective Tissue Cells / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D053715:Cystotomy; D005260:Female; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D023421:Models, Animal; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D003094:Collagen