Cameras and monitors improves experimental surgeries for correcting incisional hernia in rats

Rosa Emilia Moraes, scientific journalist at Linceu Editorial, São José dos Campos, SP, Brasil.

Experimental studies are important tools for improving surgical techniques. Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus) are widely used as models, as they have great genetic and tissue biocompatibility with humans. However, due to their small size, some procedures acquire a high degree of difficulty when performed on such a small scale, making the situation challenging.

In abdominal surgeries, using polypropylene meshes to correct incisional hernias is already routine in humans. However, there needs to be a consensus on the best techniques or the most appropriate positioning of meshes to consolidate an effective protocol for each type of procedure, considering the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Given the lack of studies describing the application of the sublay technique for incisional hernia repair in Wistar rats, researchers from the Universidade do Estado do Pará (UEPA) prepared the work Incisional hernia repair in rats: description of the sublay technique under videomagnification system published by Acta Cirúrgica Brasileira (v. 37, n. 8), to develop a standard method that contributes to the deepening of scientific knowledge, allowing the focus on comparative experiments since the rats of this lineage are ideal models for research on the treatment of hernias, providing more reliable results.

Image: artigo.

Figure 1. Manual placement of the 3.5 × 2.5 cm polypropylenemesh directly under the rectus abdominis muscle.

A good visualization of the procedure is of paramount importance so that no errors during the surgery could lead to a misinterpretation of the results. Thus, a video magnification system was used, employing cameras and monitors with the aid of fluorescent lights, which was able to enlarge the original image size by 50x satisfactorily and at a lower cost than traditional laboratory microscopes.

This research was developed at the Experimental Surgery Laboratory of UEPA. The article covers each stage of the work, presenting the list of materials and equipment used, describing the actions of induction of incisional hernia, the immediate correction of the pathology induced through the sublay mode in the molds of the procedure in humans described by Miranda et al. (2013), with the postoperative procedures and the evaluation period, established at 28 days. The study points to the absence of incisional hernia recurrence or complications, proving the technique’s success.

References

MIRANDA, J.S., BIROLINI, C.A.V. and UTIYAMA, E.M. Hérnia incisional: Novas opções para velhos problemas. Abordagens abertas: Onlay, inlay, sublay e retromuscular. In: AQUINO, J.L.B, ANDREOLLO, N.A., MARTINEZ, C.A.R. (eds.) Atualidades em clínica cirúrgica intergastro e trauma. 4 ed. São Paulo: Atheneu; 2013.

To read the article, access

TRAMONTIN, D.F., et al. Incisional hernia repair in rats: description of the sublay technique under videomagnification system. Acta Bras Cir [online]. 2022, vol. 37, no. 8, e370802 [viewed 6 December 2022]. https://doi.org/10.1590/acb370802. Available from: https://www.scielo.br/j/acb/a/VCcPzdHQbLmRTdyDphtJH8F/

External links

Acta Cirúrgica Brasileira – ACB: https://www.scielo.br/j/acb/

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Universidade do Estado do Pará (UEPA): https://www.uepa.br/