Reaction of bone marrow after cryo- and thermolesions on internal organs

Focal thermo- and cryolesions were placed on one kidney and the liver of Wistar rats. The wound healing was investigated histologically and by tritiated thymidine autoradiography. Furthermore, the 3H labeling indices of neutrophilic and eosinophilic promyelocytes and myelocytes as well as that of erythroblasts were determined in bone marrow samples from femur and vertebra. Normal nonoperated rats and rats which underwent sham operation (simple laparotomy) served as controls. The cryonecrosis healed completely after 4 weeks, whereas thermonecrotic areas were still observed 12 weeks after operation. The maximum mesenchymal and epithelial proliferation occurred between the 2nd and 3rd postoperative days. In the bone marrow, the highest labeling indices were estimated in animals with thermonecrosis, with values remaining increased during the 2 weeks after operation. Significant differences between the bone marrow response after cryolesions and sham operation were not observed. Thermolesions of internal organs, for example, after electrocoagulation, evoke a persisting local granulomatous inflammation accompanied by a distinct bone marrow reaction probably because of the pure resorption of carbonized tissue components. Iatrogenic cryolesions, in contrast, are characterized by a quick and uncomplicated wound healing without a significantly increased proliferation of bone marrow cells, thus corresponding to the wound healing after sham operation.