BACKGROUND: To compare fibrosis, inflammatory process and circumference of tubularized whole skin flaps on the back of Wistar rats, using of catheters of two different compositions (silicone and polyvinyl), and catheterless. METHODS: Twenty Wistar rats were submitted to three tubularized whole skin flaps on their back. In one group, a silicone catheter was used as a stent, in a second one polyvinyl catheter was employed and in a third one no catheter was used. They were subdivided into two groups, which were then killed on the seventh and on the twenty-first postoperative days, respectively. The circumference of the tubes was measured at both postoperative days. The excised skin tubes were fixed for histological analysis, which evaluated fibrosis and inflammatory process. RESULTS: The group in which no catheter was used, displayed a smaller circumference on the 21st postoperative day. The inflammatory reaction and fibrosis were more intense in the tubular flaps in which polyvinyl catheter was used. No significant difference was observed among flaps with or without silicone catheter CONCLUSION: The presence of a silicone catheter does not increase the intensity of inflammatory reaction and fibrosis in the healing process of sutured borders of skin tubes on the back of Wistar rats. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that the presence of this type of catheter would not contribute to the formation of fistula or stenosis in the confection of a neourethral. Besides, this procedure would also allow a wider neourethral caliber in the late postoperative followup.
Hypospadias; Surgical flaps; Surgical flaps; Surgical procedures; operative; Silicones
