COLLAGEN STRUCTURAL ORGANIZATION OF HEALING COLONIC ANASTOMOSES AND THE EFFECT OF GROWTH-HORMONE TREATMENT

PURPOSE: This experimental study was designed to investigate the colla gen fibrils of colonic anastomoses in rats and to compare normal heali ng with rats treated with biosynthetic growth hormone (bGH). METHODS. The healing zone of left colonic anastomoses was studied at days 2, 4, and 6 after surgery by means of scanning electron microscopy. RESULTS : After four days of healing a normal anastomosis was filled with loos ely packed and unorganized collagen fibrils, which were organized into collagen fibers after six days. Compared with normal anastomoses, rat s treated with bGH showed a more organized healing, characterized by a dense structure of a new-formed collagen framework of fibrils and imm ature collagen fibers after four days and with bundles of new collagen fibers after six days. CONCLUSIONS: Heating colonic anastomoses are c haracterized by new-formed collagen fibrils at postoperative day 4, an d bGH seems to stimulate structural organization of the anastomotic co llagen fibrils into fibers.