OVARIAN REMNANT SYNDROME - STUDY IN LABORATORY RATS

OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to answer two questions: (1) will devascularized ovarian rat tissue reimplant on intact or denuded perit oneal surfaces, and (2) will any revascularized tissue become function al, as evidenced by follicle formation and vaginal cornification? STUD Y DESIGN: A total of 110 young female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four study groups and a control group. Bilateral oophorectomy wa s performed on the rats in the first three study groups. In these grou ps the ovaries were sutured to the left peritoneal surfaces, where the devascularized tissue might become revascularized. The vascularized o vary was sutured to the right denuded peritoneal surface in the rats i n group 4, and an oophorectomy was performed on the rats in the contro l group. The study animals were killed and evaluated at 3, 6, or 9 wee ks postoperatively. RESULTS: Seventy-five percent of the devascularize d ovarian tissue revascularized. Forty-three percent of the viable ova rian tissue demonstrated follicular growth that increased with time to death. Thirty-seven percent of the rats showed the effects of estroge n on the vaginal epithelium. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that de vascularized ovarian tissue may reimplant on intact or abraded periton eal surfaces, where in time it may resume functioning. These findings suggest that great care must be taken when using the laparoscope to co llect ovarian specimens.