A comparative study of lyophilized bovine pericardium and tunica parietalis vaginalis for repair of large abdominal wall defects in a rabbit model

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of lyophilized bovine pericardium and tunica vaginalis in repairing large abdominal wall defect in a rabbit model. Full thickness (all the layers of muscles except the skin) abdominal wall defects (3 x 4 cm) were created in 18 anaesthetized male clinically healthy New Zealand white rabbits and randomly divided into two equal group (n= 9 each). The defects of the first group were repaired with bovine pericardium, whereas the second group was with bovine tunica vaginalis parietalis. Three animals were sacrificed at 7^th, 14^th and 30^th days of postimplantation from each group and the explanted specimens were subjected to macroscopic and microscopic examinations. The explanted grafts were replaced by newly formed collagen fibres and neo-vascularisation without any infection as well as formation of seroma. The cellular reaction was almost similar in each group. Therefore, these scaffolds can provide a structural replacement for severe and large abdominal wall defects.

Key words: Lyophilized, bovine pericardium, bovine tunica vaginalis parietalis, abdominal wall defect, rabbit.