ANASTOMOTIC BREAKING STRENGTH AND HEALING OF ANASTOMOSES IN RAT INTESTINE WITH AND WITHOUT CHRONIC RADIATION-DAMAGE

Objective: To assess the influence of chronic radiation damage on anastomotic healing in the small bowel in rats. Design: Controlled laboratory study. Setting: University hospital, Sweden. Material: 90 male Sprague-Dawley rats. Interventions: A short segment of the distal ileum was exteriorised and irradiated with a single dose (experimental group, n = 45) or exposed only (control group, n = 45) Twenty weeks later resection and anastomosis were done within this segment using 7/0 polypropylene. Main outcome measures: The anastomotic breaking strength, the amount of perianastomotic hydroxyproline, and the number of anastomotic complications Results: The breaking strength and the amount of perianastomotic hydroxyproline were higher in the irradiated than in the non-irradiated group. In contrast, anastomotic complications were significantly more common in irradiated animals. Conclusion: Anastomotic complications in irradiated intestine are not related to the amount perianastomotic collagen or to breaking strength.