NEW HEALING AGENT FOR COLONIC ANASTOMOSIS

This study evaluated the healing property, on colonic anastomoses. of a new compound termed RGTA11 (standing for ''regenerating agent,'' a d extran derivative with heparin-like properties). Colonic anastomoses w ere performed in 183 adult rats after dipping both ends of the colon i n solutions containing RGTA11. The anastomoses were made end-to-end on a single plan, 8 sutures. Healing was evaluated mechanically by the b ursting pressure in 108 animals and histological analysis in 75. Resul ts indicated that after 48 h RGTA11-treated animals presented a twofol d increased resistance to anastomoses breakage (P<0.01) over nontreate d (saline buffer) animals. After 96 h and until day 7 there was no lon ger a difference between study and control animals. Although this diff erence in breakage was not readily observed at histological level, res ults suggest that RGTA11 could be used to aid colonic anastomosis heal ing, RGTA11 is of potential clinical interest in this regard since com plications that are known to occur postoperatively result from early l eakage.