No reduction with ageing of the number of myenteric neurons in benzalkonium chloride treated rats.

The number of myenteric neurons may be reduced by topical serosal application of benzalkonium chloride (BAC). We studied the effects of ageing in the population of neurons that survive after the application of BAC. Ten treated and ten control animals were killed at intervals of 2, 6, 12 and 18 months after the surgery.

Effect of isovolemic hemodilution with 3% albumin on thrombus formation at venous microanastomosis in rats.

The present investigation was undertaken to evaluate the effect of isovolemic hemodilution with 3% albumin per se on the prevention of microvascular venous thrombosis, using an experimental model in rats mimicking the thrombotic mechanisms similar to those in clinical situations. Male Wistar rats were allocated into two groups of 15 rats each: group 1, the nonhemodiluted group, consisted of animals submitted to microsurgical procedure to induce thrombosis without previous hemodilution; group 2, the hemodiluted group, consisted of animals submitted to microsurgical procedure to induce thrombosis with previous hemodilution. The histopathological examination clearly showed that the nonhemodiluted group presented well-defined venous thrombosis in the anastomoses in 9 animals, totally occlusive in 8, and mural in 1.

Time necessary for neovascularization of a tracheal segment by the sternohyoid muscle.

Introduction: The reimplantation of a complete tracheal segment (CTS) as an autograft or homograft often results in total or partial necrosis of the CTS. However, previous experiments suggested that when the CTS is first vascularized by the sternohyoid muscle (SM) 21 days before the reimplantation, the CTS can be reimplanted without ischemia or stenosis. However, it is not clear if the CTS requires 21 days to attain full revascularization.