The effect of prostaglandin E1 on colonic anastomotic healing. A comparison study

In an attempt to show the effect of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) on colonic anastomotic healing the authors measured collagen synthesis and counted inflammatory cells (polymorphonuclear leukocytes "PMN," histiocytes, lymphocytes, and plasma cells) and compared the results to those of aprotinin and control groups. The authors performed colonic anastomoses on 45 male albino rats, which were divided into three groups. Measurements of collagen synthesis and counts of inflammatory cells in the first group were evaluated as control data. They administered 2000 units aprotinin daily for two days in the second group and 2 micrograms PGE1 daily for two days in the third group. Collagen content as hydroxyproline in the resected anastomotic part of the colon was measured and the inflammatory cells were counted on the first, third, fifth, and tenth days. The results showed that PGE1-administered rats had significantly higher collagen levels (5.21 +/- 1.35 micrograms hydroxyproline/mgr tissue, P less than 0.05 and 3.81 +/- 0.63 micrograms/mg, P less than 0.05) on the third and fifth days, respectively, compared with the control and aprotinin groups. The aprotinin group also had higher collagen levels (3.34 +/- 0.27 micrograms/mg, P less than 0.05 and 3.07 +/- 0.40 micrograms/mg, P less than 0.05) on the third and fifth days, respectively, compared with the control group. There were no statistically important differences in the collagen contents of the control, aprotinin, and PGE1 groups on the tenth day and there was an increase in the collagen content in all groups (P less than 0.05). The inflammatory cells, including PMNs, histiocytes, lymphocytes, and plasma cells, which play an important role in the inflammatory stage of colonic anastomotic healing, were also counted. The cells were counted on the third, fifth, and tenth days and the results were evaluated as (+) positive and more positive. The results of the control and aprotinin groups were found as ( ), ( ), and (++) on the third, fifth, and tenth days, respectively. In the PGE1-administered group the inflammatory cells were counted as (+), (++), and (++) on the third, fifth, and tenth days, respectively. In addition, there was an increase in fibroblast synthesis and new vessel formation on the tenth day. Thus, it was shown that PGE1 decreased inflammatory cells and increased collagen synthesis in the early stage of colonic anastomoses and fibroblasts in the late stage more effectively when compared with the control and aprotinin groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)