In order to evaluate the influence of H2-blockers in the healing process of sutured gastric wounds, twenty male guinea pigs were studied. After general anesthesia, followed by a laparotomy, a 0.5 cm-long gastrostomy in the anterior wall of the gastric body and final suturing. The guinea pigs were separated into two groups (GI and GII), with ten animais each. Group I received injections of 0,1 ml of distilled water and GII received 0,75 mg of ranitidine by a intramuscular injection every 12 hours, starting immediately after surgery and maintained until sacrifice, which was conducted in equal numbers of animais on the 2nd and 10th postoperative day (PO). Operative specimens were evaluated in detail. In macroscopic evaluation, dehiscence of gastric suture was observed in one GI animal on the 10th PO day. The mucosal membrane of all specimens presented erythema on the suture on the 2nd PO day; however, on the 10th PO day the aspect was normal, with a small white scar on the site. In microscopic evaluation, there was a severe acute inflammatory process in both groups on the 2nd PO day. III the morphological evaluation and cellular counting, there were no significant differences between groups regarding the number of polymorphis neutrophils, lymphocites and plasma cells, but the volumetric density of fibroblasts and collagen fibers was significantly larger in GII on the 10th PO day. Therefore, we conclude that H2-blockers caused no delay in healing of sutured gastric wounds in guinea pigs.
Histamine H2-receptors blockers; Wound healing; Anti-ulcer agents