Effects of amniotic membrane on the healing of primary colonic anastomoses in the cecal ligation and puncture model of secondary peritonitis in rats.

PURPOSE: We aimed to investigate the effects of amniotic membrane on primary colonic anastomoses in a rat peritonitis model.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

Fifty female Sprague Dawley rats were used in the study. Bacterial peritonitis was induced in all rats by performing a cecal ligation and puncture. Ten rats served as controls for the bursting pressure measurement, while the other 40 animals were divided into two groups (the anastomosis group (P) or the amniotic membrane group (PA)), and all of them underwent colonic anastomosis. The latter group had amniotic membrane covering their anastomoses. Half of the PA and P groups were sacrificed on the third postoperative day (PA3, P3), and the other half on the seventh postoperative day (PA7, P7).

RESULTS

The bursting pressures were significantly higher in groups PA3 and PA7 compared with P3 (p < 0.01) and P7 (p < 0.05), respectively. Inflammatory cell infiltration and adhesion scores were significantly lower in groups PA3 and PA7 compared with groups P3 (p < 0.001, p < 0.01, respectively) and P7 (p < 0.001, p < 0.05, respectively). Neoangiogenesis, fibroblast activity, collagen deposition, and hydroxyproline concentrations were significantly higher in groups with amniotic membrane than in groups without amniotic membrane (p < 0.05, for all comparisons).

CONCLUSION

This study showed that the covering of colonic anastomoses with amniotic membrane significantly prevented the delaying effect of intraperitoneal sepsis and provided a safer and stronger anastomosis than suture and that this was the case for both the early and late phases of anastomotic healing in the colon.