BACKGROUND: To compare the fibrosis and the inflammatory process postoperatively following tubularized whole skin flaps on the back of Wistar rats, using of silicone catheters of two different resistances to the diametrical compression. METHODS: Twenty Wistar rats were submitted to three tubularized whole skin flaps on their back. One was not molded and the other ones two received, respectively, as internal mold, during a period of seven days, catheters of silicon with same diameters and different resistances to the diametrical compression. They were subdivided into two groups, which were then sacrificed on the seventh and on the twenty-first postoperative day, respectively, for histological analysis, which evaluated fibrosis and the inflammatory process. RESULTS: No significant difference was noticed among the flaps without and those with silicone catheters. CONCLUSION: The presence of silicone catheters does not increase the intensity of the inflammatory reaction and of the fibrosis in the healing process of sutured borders of skin tubes on the back of Wistar rats.
Hypospadia; Surgical flaps; Catheter; Silicone
