Maria Cecília Santos Cavalcanti Melo

Severe autogenously fecal peritonitis in Wistar rats with permanent bilateral carotid occlusion. Response to intra peritoneal moxifloxacin combined with dexamethasone

PURPOSE To evaluate the treatment outcome of severe peritonitis in rats submitted to permanent bilateral carotid occlusion (PBCO). METHODS Sixteen Wistar rats (mean age of 8.5 months) with PBCO underwent autogenously fecal peritonitis, and were treated with moxifloxacin combined with dexamethasone, and followed-up for 45 days. Ten rats (mean age five months) without PBCO were used as a control group. The variables were expressed by their mean and standard error of the mean (SEM). p<0.05 was used for rejecting the null hypothesis. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee. RESULTS There was a significant increase (p=0.0002) in the mortality and morbidity in older rats that underwent PBCO (study group). However, even among the survival rats presenting with severe residual abscesses both in the abdomen and thorax cavities, they present an almost normal life. CONCLUSIONS The treatment of severe autogenously fecal peritonitis with intraperitoneal moxifloxacin combined with dexamethasone was very effective in young rats without permanent bilateral carotid occlusion. The treatment reached reasonable results in older rats with PBCO, even considering residual abscesses on abdomen and thorax. Older age was the greater risk factor for the outcome of the treatment of severe peritonitis. Sepsis remains a challenging situation, especially in elderly.

Alcohol extract of Schinu sterebinthifolius raddi (anacardiaceae) as a local antimicrobial agent in severe autogenously fecal peritonitis in rats

PURPOSE To develop an alcoholic extract of the inner bark of the Schinus terebinthifolius raddi and to test its impact on autogenously fecal peritonitis in Wistar rats. METHODS The inner bark of the Schinus terebinthifolius raddi was kept for seven days in 70% ethanol alcohol. The total elimination of the solvent was performed in a rotary evaporator under reduced pressure at 55-60°C. Four milliliter of this extract was injected, after 24 h, into the abdominal cavity of six out of eight survival rats that underwent autogenously fecal peritonitis with five milliliter of 10% filtered fecal suspension. They were clinically followed up for 45 days when they were euthanized. The necropsy findings (inventory) of the abdominal and thorax cavities were inspected and the main findings were recorded and photographed. The investigation was approved by the Ethics Committee. RESULTS Two out of six survival rats that were critically ill after 24 h died within the 12 h after the extract injection into the abdominal cavity. Four rats that were also critically ill recovered and gradually became healthy, eating well, regaining weight and moving normally in the cage. At 45 days post severe peritonitis the necropsy findings revealed few signs of residual infection on the abdominal and thorax cavities. There were no bowel adhesions. CONCLUSION The impact of alcoholic extract of the inner bark of the Schinus terebinthifolius raddi was considered very positive and promising as natural local antiseptic against very severe peritonitis in Wistar rats.

Autogenous fecal peritonitis in Wistar rats with permanent bilateral carotid occlusion: morbidity, mortality and microbiological response

PURPOSE To investigate morbidity, mortality and microbiological response to fecal peritonitis induced in Wistar rats with permanent bilateral carotid ligation (PBCL). METHODS Fecal peritonitis was induced in 30 rats, with 10 animals in each group: Group1 - normal young animals; Group2 - normal mature animals; and Group3 - rats with PBCL after four months postoperative follow-up. Peritonitis was induced with 10% stool suspension. Morbidity and mortality were evaluated. The survival animals after seven days were euthanized for tests. For microbiological studies blood were collected from the carotids and right ventricle; and fragments of lung and peritoneum. RESULTS The morbidity and mortality of young animals were significantly lower than in mature animals with and without PBCL. There was no difference in morbidity and mortality among mature rats with and without PBCL. The diversity of microorganisms producing septicemia was similar to native micro biota of the large bowel. CONCLUSIONS The immune response was more efficient in young animals, represented by significant less morbidity and no natural mortality. PBLC did not affect morbidity and mortality in mature rats. The immune response to fecal peritonitis has age as an independent predictor.

Brain damage and congenital cataract due to autogenously fecal peritonitis in pregnant Wistar rats

PURPOSE To investigate the morphological aspects of brain and eyes in newborn rats whose mother underwent autogenously fecal peritonitis. METHODS Four pregnant rats that underwent fecal peritonitis, with a 10% fecal suspension in dose of 4 ml per kilogram received two antimicrobial treatments: 1. intraperitoneal moxifloxacin and dexamethazone; and 2. Intravenous meropenem. After head inspection, the brain consistencies and the eyes belonging to all offspring were analyzed. RESULTS The brains of newborn from rats that received 4 ml/kg of 10% suspension of feces showed, significantly smaller and less than the firm consistency of those in the control group. Congenital cataract was observed in 9 (34.6%). No cataract was observed in the 20 newborn rats from the mothers that received the combination of moxifloxacin and dexamethasone. Cataract could be observed in three (13.6%) offspring from mothers that received meropenem. CONCLUSIONS Peritonitis can produce brain damage and congenital cataract in rats. The translation to humans is that intra abdominal infection in pregnant women may be associated with damage in brain and eye structures of their concepts. This can be averting using the adequate early therapeutically approach.

Translational realistic expectations of chronic cerebral hypoxemia in rat model after bilateral commom carotid artery ligation. Neurocognitive aspects

PURPOSE To evaluate the effects of chronic cerebral hypoxia on memory of rats submitted to bilateral common carotid artery ligation (BCCL). METHODS Every each week, for 16 weeks, 31 rats were tested for memory using a water and land mazes and compared with 30 normal rats (control group A). The variables were expressed by their mean and standard error of the mean (SEM). p<0.05 was used for rejecting the null hypothesis. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee for animal investigation. RESULTS There was a significant increase in the latency time, in the survival water and land mazes, after four weeks (study group B) follow-up. However, without any medication or therapeutically induced measures, after 16 weeks (study group C) follow-up the latency mean times tend to be similar to control group (A) in the neurocognitive tests. CONCLUSIONS Neurocognitive deficits after 16 weeks post-operative follow-up of rats that underwent bilateral common carotid artery ligation is a natural adaptive phenomenon. Thus, is not realistic to allow translational information from this animal model for therapeutically approaches aiming at to prevent, or to improve brain damage in human beings suffering from chronic deprivation of adequate blood supply.

Ultrasound Investigation of Scar Endometrioma in a Patient with Bladder Exstrophy

Extra pelvic forms of endometriosis is common, however, endometriosis after bladder exstrophy surgery has rare been reported, and here we present one of the first reported case. A 32-year-old woman with a history of bladder exstrophy was aware of a painful induration at the operative scar located in the mid lower abdominal wall, and presented at an Australian hospital. She had had endometriosis in 2011 and she was managed with medical treatment. When she was born underwent surgery in Recife, Pernambuco – Brazil. She was followed-up for more than 25 under the care of a pediatric surgeon. She had several urinary infection and partial incontinence. Otherwise she was a normal woman with boyfriend. She went to college and graduate in architecture. She moved to Australia two years ago and is being follow-up by urologist. Her main concern is her partial urinary incontinence and the willing of being pregnant. In the past two weeks she presented with increasingly colic abdominal pain, which seemed to be located under the lower abdominal scar. Her abdominal ultrasound investigation revealed “There is a solid lesion demonstrating mild internal vascularity in the lower anterior abdominal wall, deep to the surgical scar and 6 cm inferior to the umbilicus. This could represent an endometrioma”. She has been managed with medical approach. The desire of sexual intercourse and pregnancy is being discussed. Artificial insemination is other way of fulfilling motherhood dream.

Fecal peritonitis in aging rat model. Therapeutic response to different antibiotic strategies

PURPOSE To evaluate the response of aging rats with sepsis to two different antibiotic regimens. METHODS The study was conducted with 30 aging rats (18 month-old) with autologous feces peritonitis. The animals were divided into three groups: Group 0 received no therapeutic intervention (control), while Group 1 received a single dose of 40 mg/kg meropenem and Group 2 received a single dose of 20 mg/kg moxifloxacin. The intervention in both Groups was made 6 hours after induction of peritonitis. The animals were followed up to 15 days for evaluating morbidity and mortality. The weights at baseline were similar in all groups. RESULTS At the end of follow-up, weight loss was significantly greater (p=0.0045) in Group 0 (non-intervention controls). Culture from a blood sample at the end of follow-up was positive in all the animals in Group 0, in two animals in Group 1 and in four animals in Group 2. Morbidity/mortality was significantly higher in Group 0 compared to both Groups 1 and 2 (p=0.003) but the scores were not significantly different between Groups 1 and 2 (p=0.6967). CONCLUSION Both antibiotic regimens rendered promising results for the treatment of fecal peritonitis.

Impact of prenatal antimicrobial treatment on fetal brain damage due to autogenous fecal peritonitis in Wistar rats: A Histomorphometric Study

Purpose: To investigate brain neuronal density in newborn rats whose mothers were subjected to fecal peritonitis and compare findings between rats born to mothers treated and not treated with antimicrobials. Methods: Peritonitis was induced with a 10% fecal suspension (4mL/kg) in 2 pregnant rats. Of these, 1 received antimicrobial treatment 24 hours after peritonitis induction: moxifloxacin and dexamethasone plus 2 mL of the inner bark of the Schinus terebinthifolius raddi extract. One pregnant rat underwent no intervention and served as a control. Results: The newborn brains of rats born to mothers with fecal peritonitis were significantly smaller and of less firm consistency. Brain neuronal density was lower in the untreated group than in the control and treated groups (P<0.01). Conclusions: Untreated peritonitis caused brain damage in the offspring, which was averted by effective early antimicrobial treatment. This approach may provide an early avenue for translation of such therapy in humans. Keywords: peritonitis, brain injuries, rats

Severe autogenously fecal peritonitis in ageing Wistar rats. Response to intravenous meropenem

PURPOSE To evaluate the treatment outcome of severe peritonitis in rats with increasing age. METHODS Thirty Wistar rats stratified in three groups: group I - six month-old; group II - 12 month-old; and group III - 18 month-old, underwent autogenously fecal peritonitis (6 ml/kg rat), and were treated with intravenous meropenem. The survival animals were followed-up for 45 days. The variables were expressed by their mean and standard error of the mean (SEM). p<0.05 was used for rejecting the null hypothesis. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee. RESULTS There was a significant increase in the mortality and morbidity in elderly rats. Of interest, even among young survival rats presenting with severe residual abscesses both in the abdomen and thorax cavities, they present an almost normal life. CONCLUSIONS The treatment of severe autogenously fecal peritonitis with intravenous meropenem reached reasonable results in rats with six and twelve months of age, even considering residual abscesses on abdomen and thorax cavities. However, the great majority (80%) of elderly rats could not overcome the initial severe infectious challenge, proving that ageing is a very important risk factor for impairing immune response. Thus, sepsis remains a challenging situation, especially in elderly.

Learning and survival memory undergoing a permanent bilateral carotid ligation in rats

PURPOSE To evaluate the effect of cerebral hypoxia-ischemia on memory and learning survival of rats submitted to permanent bilateral carotid ligation (PBCL). METHODS Twenty-four survivors of PBCL were evaluated after 30 days with regard to memory and learning using a water survival maze. Twenty-three healthy rats were used as control group. The results were expressed by their means and standard error of the mean (SEM). p<0.05 was used for rejecting the null hypothesis. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee for animal investigation. RESULTS The mortality rate for the surgery was 44.4%. The latency time to find the survival platform was higher in rats that underwent PBCL (Normal: 10.24 ± 1.85s - STUDY 25.30 ± 4.69s - Mann - Whitney p=0.0388). Additionally, the type of swimming and the spatial stability of the studied rats on the survival platform were compromised in these animals. CONCLUSION The permanent bilateral carotid ligation induces change in the learning and survival memory.