[Experimental studies of wound healing in the paranasal sinuses. II. Spontaneous wound healing and drug effects in a standardized wound model].

A model of wound healing in the maxillary antrum of the rabbit was developed. The regeneration of standardized circular mucosal defects 4 mm in diameter was studied using conventional histology and serial sections as well as three-dimensional histomorphological analysis. Wound closure started by migration of epithelium; 24 h later mitoses were seen. 120 h after creation of the wound the granulation tissue covering the wound surface started to become hyperplastic, and bone apposition with formation of osteoid occurred. Systemic application of prednisolone i.m. (2 mg/kg per day) and topical administration of dexpanthenol-ointment (5%) resulted in an acceleration of the late epithelial wound closure together with a reduction of hyperplastic granulation tissue. Epidermal growth factor, applied locally, had no significant effect. The proposed animal model permits additional quantitative evaluation of postoperative treatment modalities.