title: Amniotic membrane as a biological dressing in infected wound healing in rabbits.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate amniotic membrane as a biological dressing in infected wound healing in rabbits.
  
  
  METHODS
  The use of preserved amniotic membranes (AMs) was examined using 15 rabbits with experimentally induced wound infections on their backs. Healing was histologically evaluated during different phases including inflammation, granulation, epithelialization, and fibroplasia. The animals were distributed into three groups for histological study at seven, 14, 21, and 28 days post-wound induction. Group A did not receive treatment: the wound was left exposed and dry; Group B received a daily exposure treatment with collagenase; and Group C received one AM, which also remained exposed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A marked reduction of the inflammatory phase was observed in Group C at 21 days, and the granulation phase of this healing increased at 14 days. Epithelialization was similar among the three groups, and fibroplasia was more pronounced in Group C at 14 days. Furthermore, gradual collagen organization also began for the animals in Group B at 14 days.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The amniotic membrane did not significantly alter the inflammation, epithelialization, or fibroplasia phases but did increase angiogenesis up to Day 14 compared with the dry dressing and collagenase treatments.
authors.affiliation: Medical School, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ian Göedert Leite
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Duarte
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Medical School, UFMG, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Duval-Araujo
mesh_terms: D000650:Amnion; D000818:Animals; D001684:Biological Dressings; D017364:Collagenases / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005355:Fibrosis; D006097:Granulation Tissue / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D011817:Rabbits; D011897:Random Allocation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology*; D014946:Wound Infection / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D017364:Collagenases