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Preoperative vitamin C supplementation improves colorectal anastomotic healing and biochemical parameters in
Lucineia Gainski Danielski1, Eduardo Walczewski1, Clovisa Reck de Jesus1
1Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental Pathophysiology, Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences, University of South Santa Catarina, Tubarão, SC, Brazil.
Purposes:
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of supplementation with vitamin C on intestinal anastomosis healing in malnourished rats.
Methods:
Male Wistar rats were divided into three groups: (1) sham, well-nourished rats that received vehicle; (2) FR+Veh, rats that were subjected to food restriction and received vehicle; and (3) FR+VC, rats that were subjected to food restriction and received vitamin C. Four days before surgery, the animals received vitamin C (100 mg/kg/day) via gavage and underwent colon resection with anastomosis in a single plane. The survival rate of rats was monitored until day 7 after surgery. Regarding anastomosis tissues, we examined intra-abdominal adhesion index, hydroxyproline content, collagen density, inflammatory parameters, and oxidative damage to proteins and lipids.
Results:
Malnutrition decreases body weight and increases mortality; the survival rate was 90 % in group 1, 60 % in group 2, and 80 % in group 3. Vitamin C was able to increase hydroxyproline concentration and density of collagen and decrease the intra-abdominal adhesion index, as well as the infiltration of neutrophils and oxidative damage to proteins in malnourished rats compared to group treated with vehicle.
Conclusions:
Preoperative vitamin C supplementation can improve the intestinal anastomosis healing, biochemical alterations, and prolong survival in rats subjected to food restriction.
