Androgen Supplementation in Rats Increases the Inflammatory Response and Prolongs Urethral Healing

Objective To describe the effects of androgens on urethral wound healing, we compared the urethral healing process in castrated Sprague-Dawley rats with and without testosterone supplementation. Methods Of 30 castrated male Sprague-Dawley rats, 15 received testosterone cypionate (3 mg/kg; T+ rats). All rats underwent an urethroplasty procedure and were sacrificed at postoperative days 5, 10, and 20. Neutrophils, macrophages, vessels, myofibroblasts, Ki67+ cells, collagen, and cytokines were quantified with immunofluorescence and real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results Penile length was significantly increased in T+ rats (21.8 vs 13.25 mm; P