Effects of fibrin glue on injured rabbit ureter

Background and Objective: Fibrin glue is used as a hemostatic agent, has po tential as a tissue adhesive, and may promote tissue healing. The histologi c effects of fibrin glue on the ureter have not yet been fully investigated . We studied the effect of fibrin glue on the thickness of various layers o f injured and uninjured ureters and its effect on vessel density in the rab bit model. Materials and Methods: Rabbits were divided into two groups, The ureters we re exposed using a midline abdominal incision. In the study group, one of t he ureters was crushed, and fibrin glue was instilled around both ureters. In the control group, one of the ureters was crushed, but no fibrin glue wa s instilled. The animals were sacrificed at 6 weeks and the ureters examine d histologically. Using NIH Image Analysis solftware, the thickness of the urothelium, muscular, and adventitial layers and the cross-sectional area o f the ureters were measured. The vessel density of the ureters was also ass essed. Results: Whereas the thickness of the epithelium was increased in the crush ed ureters treated with fibrin glue (20.7 mum v 15.3 mum), the thickness wa s reduced in the uncrushed ureters treated with fibrin glue compared with c ontrols (16.3 mum v 19.8 mum). There was no statistically significant diffe rence in the thickness of the muscular or adventitial layers in the study a nd control groups. There was a reduction in the cross-sectional area of the uncrushed ureters treated with fibrin glue compared with controls (7095 mu m(2) v 9409 mum(2)). In addition, the vessel density in the crushed ureters was reduced in ureters treated with fibrin glue compared with controls (0. 00067/mum(2) v 0.00108/mu (2)). In the uncrushed ureters, the difference wa s not statistically significant. Conclusions: Fibrin glue has potential as an adhesive agent in the ureter a nd may promote healing. It may affect epithelial layer thickness and vessel density of the ureter, but these effects were variable. Fibrin glue does n ot appear to have significant effects on the ureteral muscular and adventit ial layers or on the overall cross-sectional area of all three layers. Thes e results indicate that fibrin glue does not appear to have a detrimental e ffect on the ureter.