Purpose: To evaluate the hydroalcoholic aroeira extract in the healing process of surgical incisions in the bladder of rats in an experimental comparative study.
Methods: Forty male Wistar rats were used. All of them underwent a median abdominal incision, with an 1cm cystotomy, followed by one plain suture with separated stitches of poliglactine 910 5-0. The animals were then divided into two groups of 20 rats each, and named the aroeira group (GA) and the control group (GC). In the first one, 80% hydro-alcoholic plant extract was injected in the peritoneal cavity, in a one dose of 100mg/kg. The second group, a 0.9% saline solution was injected in place of aroeira extract. Each group was divided into two subgroups (SGA and SGC) of 10 animals. According to their scheduled death, they were named subgroups SGA3 and SGC3 when killed in the 3th day after surgery and subgroups SGA7 and SGC7 in the 7th day. The abdominal cavity and the bladder suture were macroscopically evaluated.
Results: The microscopic analysis of the surgical incision in the bladder was performed by means of the hematoxilin-eosine stain and the trichrome of Masson. The macroscopic analysis showed an infection in the surgical incision in three rats of the SGC group and in one of the SGA, and peritoneal adhesion in the 26 rats belonging nine to SGC and 17 in the SGA. The microscopic evaluation revealed a more severe acute inflammation process in the SGC on the 3th (p=0.045) and in the 7th (0=0.002) days. In the SGA, a more significant collagenization (p=0.001) could be seen, as far as the evidence of vascular neoformation (p=0.002) on the 3rd day. Chronic inflammatory reaction (p=0.006) and a more intense vascular neoformation (p=0.001) were observed in the 7th day.
Conclusion: The hydroalcoholic aroeira extract had a favorable effect in the healing process of cystotomies done in rats.