title: The effect of carbon dioxide therapy on composite graft survival.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of carboxytherapy in auricular composite grafts in rabbits.
  
  
  METHODS
  An experimental study was conducted using 20 rabbits randomly assigned to a treatment group of carboxytherapy or a control group of saline solution. In each ear, a circular graft with 1.5 cm or 2 cm of diameter was amputated and reattached. Animals underwent carbon dioxide or saline injection four times during the experiment. We analyzed clinical evolution of the animals, grafts survival, histopathology features and histomorphometry of collagen.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The treated group had a significantly lower weight gain (p=0.038). Histopathology was not significantly different between groups. There was an increase in amount of collagen in 2 cm grafts submitted to carbon dioxide therapy (p=0.003). Carboxytherapy didn't influence graft survival rate for 1.5 cm grafts or 2 cm grafts (p=0.567 and p=0.777, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Carbon dioxide therapy increased the amount of collagen in 2 cm grafts. CO2 was not significantly different from saline infusion on composite grafts survival, but this study suggests that there is a mechanical effect caused by distension which favored graft survival.
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Medical Sciences, Medical School, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, DF, Brazil.
authors.forename: Eliana Ferreira Ribeiro
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Durães
authors.forename: Leonardo de Castro
authors.initials: Lde C
authors.lastname: Durães
authors.forename: Fabiana Pirani
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Carneiro
authors.forename: Ruy de Souza
authors.initials: Rde S
authors.lastname: Lino
authors.forename: João Batista de
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Sousa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003094:Collagen / Q000032:analysis; D054644:Ear Auricle / Q000637:transplantation*; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D011897:Random Allocation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D003094:Collagen