Collagen structural organization of healing colonic anastomoses and the effect of growth hormone treatment.

PURPOSE

This experimental study was designed to investigate the collagen fibrils of colonic anastomoses in rats and to compare normal healing with rats treated with biosynthetic growth hormone (bGH).

METHODS

The healing zone of left colonic anastomoses was studied at days 2, 4, and 6 after surgery by means of scanning electron microscopy.

RESULTS

After four days of healing a normal anastomosis was filled with loosely packed and unorganized collagen fibrils, which were organized into collagen fibers after six days. Compared with normal anastomoses, rats treated with bGH showed a more organized healing, characterized by a dense structure of a new-formed collagen framework of fibrils and immature collagen fibers after six days.

CONCLUSIONS

Healing colonic anastomoses are characterized by new-formed collagen fibrils at postoperative day 4, and bGH seems to stimulate structural organization of the anastomotic collagen fibrils into fibers.