Effects of haemorrhage on wound strength and fibroblast function

Abstract

The impairment of healing in laparotomy wounds in rats with compensated oligaemia has been studied in two parallel investigations. Animals‐bled 1 ml/100 g body weight (bled) were compared with unbled animals undergoing the same operation (control). Firstly, wounds were assessed after 22 days for strength of skin and muscle layers (11 control: 9 bled). Both layers were significantly weaker in bled animals; by 36 per cent for skin (P 3H]thymidine), or general protein synthesis ([³H]leucine). Bled animals had less dense collagen packing by 21 per cent (P 3H]proline by fibroblasts (P <0·01) compared with control animals. The effect of compensated oligaemia on wound healing is more marked in skin than in muscle; it appears to be a specific increase in collagen turnover with the increase in reabsorption exceeding that in synthesis.