Collagen fibers as a temporary scaffold for replacement of ACL in goats.

ACL substitutes made of braided or plied purified collagen fibers and cross-linked with hexamethylenediisocyanate were implanted into a total of 14 adult goats to achieve resorption within 8 to 10 months. Two types of collagen fiber prostheses differing in degree of collagen purification were tested. The implants were harvested 2 to 11 months postimplantation, tested for mechanical strength, and evaluated by morphological methods.

Effects of electrocautery on midline laparotomy wound infection.

This study compared the healing of midline fascial incisions made with either scalpel or electrocautery and inoculated with Escherichia coli in 57 Sprague-Dawley rats. At 7 days, tensile strength was significantly less when incisions were made with electrocautery than with a scalpel. Additionally, would strength was inversely related to the concentration of the inoculum of E coli.

Inert wound dressing is not desirable.

Four Yorkshire piglets were inflicted with a total of 92 split-thickness wounds 4.8 cm2 in area and 400 microns deep. The wounds were treated with eight dressing regimens under the same experimental design.

Effect of electrocautery on wound healing in midline laparotomy incisions.

The effect of electrocautery on midline fascial wound healing was studied in 108 Sprague-Dawley rats. Midline wound tensile strength was significantly reduced in fascia incised with the coagulation current compared with the cutting current or scalpel. In addition, tissue necrosis and inflammation as well as adhesion formation between the incision and abdominal viscera were more extensive in animals with incisions made using coagulation current.

Occlusion of the vas deferens in dogs with a biocompatible hydrogel solution.

The surgically exposed vasa deferentia of 21 dogs were injected, under visual inspection, with Hypan N-90 acrylic hydrogel (50-150 microL). The hydrogel was deposited inside the vas lumen via a 22-gauge Teflon intercatheter. The solution gelled within 120 seconds.