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Vaginal incisional wound healing in a rabbit menopause model: A histologic analysis

International Urogynecology Journal volume 23, pages 1763–1769 (2012)Cite this article

Abstract

Intoduction and hypothesis

The vaginal wound healing process is a major determinant of surgical outcome following pelvic reconstructive surgery. Since the majority of these surgeries are performed in peri- and postmenopausal women, it is essential to understand how estrogen deficiency affects this process. We aimed to histologically evaluate the vaginal incisional wound healing process in a rabbit menopause model.

Methods

Sixty three rabbits were utilized and divided into 3 groups: Twenty one underwent bilateral oophorectomy, 21 underwent a sham surgery, and 21 served as controls. Eight weeks later, standardized full-thickness 6 mm circular segments were excised from the vagina of all rabbits and spontaneous healing was recorded. Animals were euthanized sequentially, before wounding, and at 0, 4, 7, 14, 21 and 35 days after wounding, and their wounds were harvested and assessed histologically for wound healing using a validated scoring system.

Results

Oophorectomized rabbits showed significantly delayed wound closure (p < 0.02), neovascularization (p < 0.01), granulation tissue accumulation and maturation (p < 0.02), collagen deposition (p < 0.01) and re-epithelialization (p < 0.01), however acute and chronic inflammation were significantly enhanced (p < 0.02).

Conclusion

Oophorectomized rabbits show protracted incisional vaginal wound healing by all histologic criteria, however, inflammation is significantly enhanced.

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Funding

The study was supported by an institutional research grant from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Medicine, Evanston, Illinois, U.S.A.

Conflict of interest

None.

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Division of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, Carmel Medical Center, Technion University, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Haifa, Israel

    Yoram Abramov

  2. Department of Pathology, Evanston Continence Center, Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, Evanston, IL, USA

    Barbara Golden & Megan Sullivan

  3. Division of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, Evanston Continence Center, Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, Evanston, IL, USA

    Roger P. Goldberg & Peter K. Sand

  4. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Carmel Medical Center, 7 Michal Street, Haifa, 34362, Israel

    Yoram Abramov

Authors
  1. Yoram Abramov
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  2. Barbara Golden
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  3. Megan Sullivan
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  4. Roger P. Goldberg
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  5. Peter K. Sand
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yoram Abramov.

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Abramov, Y., Golden, B., Sullivan, M. et al. Vaginal incisional wound healing in a rabbit menopause model: A histologic analysis. Int Urogynecol J 23, 1763–1769 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-012-1793-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-012-1793-0

Keywords

  • Histology
  • Menopause
  • Oophorectomy
  • Surgery
  • Vagina
  • Wound healing