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Updated: Jul 4, 2026
Murine Ileocolic Bowel Resection with Primary Anastomosis
Published on: October 29, 2014
Effect of thalidomide on the healing of colonic anastomosis, in rats
Samuel Gama Veneziano1, Leandra Naira Zambelli Ramalho, Fernando Silva Ramalho
1Division of Coloproctology, Department of Surgery and Anatomy, Ribeirão Preto Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Purpose:
Thalidomide, because of its anti-inflammatory properties, as re-emerged as an option for the treatment of Crohn's disease refractory to standard therapy. We studied the effect of thalidomide on the healing of colonic anastomosis.
Methods:
Sixty male rats (Rattus norvegicus), were divided into 3 groups of 20 animals each, respectively receiving 0.5 or 1.0 mg/kg thalidomide by the oral route for 7 days, or saline solution (control). All animals were submitted to continuous end-to-end anastomosis with 6-0 Prolene sutures. After sacrifice the anastomoses were analyzed macroscopically and submitted to determination of hydroxyproline, to histology and to immunohistochemistry for metalloproteinase 1, metalloproteinase 1 inhibitor and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).
Results:
Statistical analysis of the data showed no significant difference in macroscopic aspect or hydroxyproline determination (p= 0.5403). In the immunohistochemical analysis, the following p values were obtained: p = 0.5817 for VEGF, p = 0.1854 for metalloproteinase 1, and p = 0.0023 for metalloproteinase 1 inhibitor, with this last value being considered statistically significant.
Conclusion:
We conclude that thalidomide influenced collagen maturation. There was a stronger action of metalloproteinases, possibly indicating a negative tendency for the healing process.
