PREVENTION OF EXPERIMENTAL LYE STRICTURES OF THE ESOPHAGUS BY CORTISONE

Abstract

RAGAN¹ and his colleagues, Spain² and others have demonstrated inhibition by cortisone of granulation tissue formation in experimentally induced wounds, probably due to a local inhibitory action of the hormone on fibroblasts.³ More recently, Stinchfield⁴ applied cortisone successfully in preventing excessive bone and fibrous tissue formation after experimental arthroplastic procedures. With a view to the practical clinical application of these data to man in the prevention of cicatricial stenosis of the esophagus following injuries such as lye burns, experiments were undertaken having as their object the controlled production of lye stricture in the experimental animal and its prevention by means of cortisone. The rabbit was selected as best suited from the standpoint of both rate of survival and economy of dosage of the hormone. TECHNIQUE A rabbit of approximately 2.5 kg. was anesthetized with open-drop ether and strapped supine to an animal board. An olive-tipped metal