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The effect of chronically increased intra-abdominal pressure on rectus abdominis muscle histology an experimental
Efstathios V Kotidis1, Theodosis S Papavramidis, Kostas Ioannidis
13rd Department of Surgery, AXEPA Hospital Aristotle University of Thessalonica, School of Medicine, Thessaloniki, Greece. skotidis@med.auth.gr
Background:
The aim of this study was to specify the histologic response of the rectus abdominis muscle of the rabbit, to the chronically increased intra-abdominal pressure.
Materials And Methods:
Forty-five New Zealand white rabbits were divided into three groups. In all groups, a rubber bag was implanted into the peritoneal cavity. In group A (n=15) the bags were kept empty. In group B (n=15) the bags were filled with normal saline in order to achieve an intra-abdominal pressure of over 12 mmHg. This pressure was kept at this level for 8 wk. In group C (n=15) the intra-abdominal rubber bags were filled with lead covered by silicone, equiponderant to the mean weight of the normal saline insufflated in group B. After 8 wk we took biopsies of the rectus abdominis muscle and counted the proportion of the different types of muscular fibers (type I, IIA, and IIB/X).
Results:
Significant difference was found in the proportion of the three types of muscle fibers. Intra-abdominal hypertension led to an increase in type I fibers (P=0.008). No difference was noticed between groups A and C.
Conclusions:
The histologic response to the increased intra-abdominal pressure was an increase in type I muscle fibers. Charging with lead did not cause any significant change in the proportion of muscular fibers.
