title: Simvastatin improves incisional wound healing in a rat model: an experimental study.
abstract: ﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿ This study investigated the effect of simvastatin on the heal- ing process of abdominal wall wounds in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was performed with adult female Wistar-Albino rats. Control group (n = 20) rats were fed standard laboratory diet until 12 hours before sur- gery. Study group (n = 20) rats received oral simvastatin therapy with an orogastric tube (10 mg/kg once a day) for 7 days until 12 hours before surgery. Each rat was anesthetized, and a 4 cm-long midline laparotomy was performed. Ten animals from each group were killed at postoperative days (PODs) 7 and 14. Breaking strength analysis was measured, and the abdominal incision wounds were examined histolog- ically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hydroxyproline levels and tensile strength of abdominal fascia were significantly higher in the study group on PODs 7 and 14 compared to the control group. The granulation tissue fibroblast matu- ration scores on POD 7, and both collagen deposition scores and neo- vascularization scores on PODs 7 and 14, were found to be statistically significantly higher in the simvastatin treatment group compared to the control group, based on the results of the histologic tissue examina- tions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Simvastatin can be used as a supporting therapy in wound healing. ﻿﻿﻿.
authors: ﻿Department of General Surgery, Balikesir Medical University, Balikesir, Turkey; email: hayrullahderici@yahoo.com.
authors: Hayrullah
authors: H
authors: Derici
authors: Department of General Surgery, Balikesir Medical University, Balikesir, Turkey.
authors: Ismail
authors: I
authors: Yaman
authors: Department of General Surgery, Karsiyaka State Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
authors: Cemal
authors: C
authors: Kara
authors: Department of General Surgery, Atatürk Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
authors: Erdinç
authors: E
authors: Kamer
authors: Department of Pathology, Dr. Behçet Uz Children's Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
authors: Gülden
authors: G
authors: Diniz
authors: Department of Pathology, Dr. Behçet Uz Children's Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
authors: Ragıp
authors: R
authors: Ortac