The effects of corticosteroids and vitamin A on the healing of tracheal anastomoses

Objective: This study investigates the deleterious effects of corticosteroids on tracheal anastomotic healing and the ability of vitamin A to reverse these effects in a rat model. Methods: Forty-two adult Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups. The animals underwent tracheal transection and primary anastomoses. The groups were assigned as follows: Group I, sham ( N=6); Group II, control ( N=6); Group III, dexamethasone, 0.1 mg/kg/day intramuscularly ( N=10); Group IV, dexamethasone 0.1 mg/kg/day intramuscularly+vitamin A 10 000 IU/kg/day by gavages ( N=10); and Group V, vitamin A 10 000 IU/kg/day by gavages for a week ( N=10). After 7 days, anastomotic healing was assessed by measurement of bursting pressure, hydroxyproline content and subsequent histological grading using the modified Ehrlich/Hunt scale. Results: Bursting pressures and hydroxyproline contents were as follows: Group I: 977±8 mmHg and 11.80±0.3 μg/mg (mean±standard error of the mean); Group II: 890±55 mmHg and 9.93±0.6 μg/mg; Group III: 555±26 mmHg and 11.90±1.3 μg/mg; Group IV: 873±73 mmHg and 10.24±2.2 μg/mg; Group V: 905±45 mmHg and 7.51±0.8 μg/mg, respectively. Bursting pressure of Group III was found to be significantly lower when compared to other groups ( P