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Effect of ranitidine on healing of normal and transfusion-suppressed experimental anastomoses
S A Apostolidis1, A A Michalopoulos, V N Papadopoulos
1Laboratory of Anatomy, Aristotle University, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Background:
Histamine has been shown to participate in immune response. Wound healing is a process of immune system. This experimental study was done to find the effect of histamine2 receptor antagonist ranitidine on the healing process of intestinal anastomosis in rats.
Methods:
Eighty Wistar rats in four groups of 20 each underwent colon resection and anastomosis. They were given 2 ml saline or blood, twice daily 0.4 ml saline or 0.4 ml saline containing 0.7 mg ranitidine. The animals were killed 3 or 7 days postoperatively and the anastomotic strength assessed by bursting pressure.
Results:
The ranitidine group developed fewer anastomotic abscesses (p<0.001). Anastomotic strength was significantly reduced either on day 3 or 7 in animals given blood transfusions (p<0.04, p<0.001), whereas in animals given ranitidine this effect was partially reversed.
Conclusions:
These data indicate that ranitidine has no influence in anastomotic bursting pressure, but has a lower incidence of septic complications.
