Two types of monofilament polypropylene meshes of markedly different construction, configuration and pore size were compared and used to repair full-thickness muscle defects in the abdominal wall of 22 mongrel dogs to assess their biocompatibility with host tissues. The defects were repaired with Prolene (Ethicon) woven mesh (pore size = 164 x 96 microns) and with an experimental, extruded mesh called T mesh (pore size = 3 mm x 4 mm). On the 30th postoperative day, the animals were sacrificed, and the segments of the abdominal wall containing the implanted meshes were excised. Although the Prolene mesh had greater tensile strength before implantation, 30 days after implantation, the T mesh showed similar tensile strength to Prolene mesh. The collagen densitometry showed a significant increase of total and mature collagen type I deposition in the T mesh. This suggests that the increased mature collagen type I deposition significantly increases the tensile strength of the reinforced mesh tissue and that the larger pore in the T mesh contributed to this finding by allowing increasing fibber orientation within the pores as a result of in vivo tension.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of low-level helium-neon (HeNe) laser on cutaneous wound healing in rats. Methods: Sixty Wistar rats were divided into control group and experimental group. A sutured longitudinal, dorsal-medial incision was made, with simple separate stitches. The experimental group was irradiated daily in three areas of the wound with HeNe laser (5mW maximum continuous power, 632.8 nm wavelength, 4 j/cm 2 energy density and 0.015 cm 2 laser beam area) for 36 seconds. The areas were evaluated on the third, seventh and fourteenth days postoperative. Histological sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin to determine the type of inflammatory reaction according to the protocol by Vizzotto et al. (2003)* and with Picrosirius to identify types I and III collagen and the collagen maturation index (CMI). Immunohistochemical detection was employed with anti-CD45-LCA to recognize the inflammatory cells. Results: Both groups had the same inflammatory pattern. The experimental group had fewer inflammatory cells at the three evaluation times (p<0.001) with faster reduction in the number of leukocytes. The experimental group had greater total collagen density on the third day (p=0.001), with more type III collagen (p=0.001) and more type I collagen (p=0.001). There was no significant difference in the CMI. Conclusion: Low-level laser irradiation does not change the quality of the inflammatory response, but it does reduce its intensity; it increases collagen deposition in the early stages of the healing process and does not interfere with collagen maturation.Key words: wound healing; low-level laser therapy; helium-neon laser; collagen. ResumoObjetivo: Avaliar os efeitos do laser de baixa potência hélio e neônio (HeNe) na cicatrização de feridas cutâneas de ratos. Métodos: Sessenta ratos Wistar foram divididos em grupos controle e experimento. Utilizou-se ferida incisional, longitudinal, dorso-mediana, suturada com pontos separados simples. No grupo experimento, as feridas foram irradiadas diariamente com aparelho de laser de HeNe com potência contínua máxima de 5mW, comprimento de onda de 632,8 nm, visível com densidade de energia de 4j/cm 2 , área de raio do laser de 0,015cm 2 , durante 36 segundos, em três pontos da lesão. As feridas foram avaliadas no 3º, no 7º e no 14º dia de pós- (p<0,001), com diminuição mais rápida do número de leucócitos. Verificou-se que as do grupo experimento tinham maior densidade de colágeno total no 3º dia (p=0,001), com mais colágeno III (p=0,001) e mais colágeno I (p=0,001). Não houve diferença significativa no IMaC. Conclusão: A irradiação com laser de baixa intensidade não modifica a qualidade da reação inflamatória, mas diminui a intensidade dela; aumenta a deposição do colágeno no início do processo cicatricial e não interfere na maturação da cicatriz.Palavras-chave: cicatrização de feridas; laserterapia de baixa intensidade; laser de gases Hélio e Neônio; colágeno.* Vizzotto jr AO, Noronha L, Scheffel LHD, Campos ACL. Influência da cisplatina administrada n...

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