title: Decellularized dermal strip as a suburethral sling in a rat model of stress urinary incontinence.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To report the feasibility, efficacy and safety of decellularized dermal strip as a sling material in the pudendal denervated stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in an animal model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly allocated into three equal groups (n = 10). In group 1, rats underwent bilateral pudendal nerve transection (BPNT) with no vaginal sling placement. Group 2 underwent BPNT with homologous decellularized dermal strip placement as vaginal sling 12 weeks later. Group 3 was considered as controls to evaluate baseline leak point pressure (LPP). Leak point pressure was measured 18 weeks after BPNT in group 1 and 6 weeks after sling implantation in group 2. Sling and sphincter samples were prepared for histological and immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining.
  
  
  RESULTS
  H&E staining of external urethral sphincter showed decrease in striated muscle layer in group 1 (BPNT) compared to control confirmed by desmin staining (45 % decrease in desmin staining). Sling implantation caused significant increase in mean LPP from 11.6 ± 2.8 cm H2O in group 1 (BPNT) to 27.2 ± 5.4 cm H2O in group 2 (BPNT/sling). There was no significant difference between LPP after the sling placement in group 2 and LPP in group 3 (27.2 ± 5.4 cm H2O vs. 27.6 ± 5.9, P = 0.832). IHC staining was positive for α-SMA and CD34.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on present results, this dermal strip could be considered as a potential sling material for treatment of SUI in this animal model. This study provides the basis for further investigation of the efficacy of biological decellularized scaffold as suburethral sling material.
authors.affiliation: Section of Tissue Engineering and Stem Cells Therapy, Pediatric Urology Research Center, Children's Hospital Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, No. 62, Dr. Qarib's Street, Keshavarz Boulevard, 1419433151, Tehran, Iran (IRI), kajbafzd@sina.tums.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Abdol-Mohammad
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Kajbafzadeh
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mozafarpour
authors.forename: Seyedeh Sanam
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Ladi Seyedian
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Khorramirouz
authors.forename: Haleh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nasser Hojjati
mesh_terms: D062088:Acellular Dermis; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D053825:Suburethral Slings; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014550:Urinary Incontinence, Stress / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D014554:Urination / Q000502:physiology; D013520:Urologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*