The free peritoneal transplant as substitute for the urinary bladder wall.

In 13 rabbits the fundus of the bladder was resected and the defect repaired by a free peritoneal transplant from the lateral abdominal wall. One animal died postoperatively of purulent peritonitis. In the remaining animals the transplant healed with no signs of irritation. The mean reduction of bladder capacity per body weight between the 5th and 18th postoperative week was only 13 per cent. Histologic tests after 5 weeks showed a germinating epithelium on the transplant which was replaced by a fibromuscular lamina after 10 weeks. The successful results of these animal experiments seem to justify the clinical use of free peritoneal transplants. The good healing tendency and matrix function of this tissue permit transplantation of the peritoneum wherever intraoperative defects occur or suture dehiscence may be expected.