Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 19, 2026
In Vivo Evaluation of the Mechanical and Viscoelastic Properties of the Rat Tongue
Published on: July 6, 2017
Comparison between electrosurgery and cold blade in tongues of rats: a preliminary experimental study
Belmiro Cavalcanti do Egito Vasconcelos1, Lígia Helena Macedo de Freitas, Luciana Karla de Morais Santos
1Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, PhD Program in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, UFPE, Recife, Brazil. belmiro@pesquisador.cnpq.br
Purpose:
To compare tissue cicatrization in the tongue of rats using electrosurgery and the cold blade.
Methods:
Ten adult male Wistar rats were divided into two groups of 5 animals each, according to the time of sacrifice (3 and 7 days). Each animal had two incisions, one made with a cold blade and the other with an electric blade, both of which were approximately 0.5 mm in length. Following sacrifice of the animals, the tongues were submitted to a histological study in order to classify the presence of angiogenesis, fibroblastic proliferation, epithelial proliferation and inflammatory cells as good, moderate and weak.
Results:
The wound made with electric blade presented a delay in the healing process and a greater inflammatory response as compared with the cold blade, despite the fact that there was no statistically significant difference (p<0.05).
Conclusion:
There were no significant statistical differences between electrosurgery and the cold blade in relation to angiogenesis, fibroblastic proliferation, epithelial proliferation or the presence of inflammatory cells at any time of evaluation.