EFFECT OF GROWTH-HORMONE TREATMENT ON THE HEALING OF LEFT COLONIC ANASTOMOSES IN PROTEIN-MALNOURISHED RATS

Background Malnutrition is known to affect wound healing but it is not known with certainty whether or not postoperative hyperalimentation c an reverse this defect. The present study was designed to examine the effects of recombinant human growth hormone (hGH) on left colonic anas tomoses in malnourished rats. Methods Experimental animals were alloca ted randomly into four groups. In groups 1 and 2 animals were fed with normal diet for 10 days before surgery. In groups 3 and 4 animals wer e fed with a low-protein diet. Left colonic anastomoses were performed in all animals. Following surgery, rats in groups 1 and 3 received hG H whereas rats in groups 2 and 4 were injected with saline as control. Bursting pressure and hydroxyproline levels on day 4 after operation were used to determine anastomotic healing. Results Bursting pressure was lower in the malnourished rats than those fed with normal diet (P < 005). Bursting pressure was higher in normally fed rats which were g iven hGH. No significant differences could be noted between malnourish ed control rats and those receiving hGH. Conclusion These results sugg est that hGH strengthened the left colonic anastomoses in rats fed a n ormal diet, but could not reverse the negative effects of malnutrition on colonic anastomoses.