Experimental Study of Bladder Transplantation Surgery of Fresh Sheep's Amnion Membrane in Dogs
Over the last few decades, the use of bladder wall substitutes has been attempted with organic and synthetic materials. In this quasi experimental pilot study, fresh sheep's amniotic membrane (SAM) was used as an organic material for bladder grafting in dogs, for the purpose of bladder augmentation. To evaluate urinary bladder grafting with SAM, 3 healthy male dogs were studied. In this surgery, a piece of cranial wall (Domo) of bladder, approximately 4-cm2 in diameter was resected and replaced with fresh SAM. For the purpose of assessment, compatibility of this grafting surgery, clinical symptoms, ultrasonography, macro and microscopic pathologic parameters were taken into consideration. In clinical examination, dogs were depressed a few days after operation. Urine of dogs were normal in appearance and without blood after surgery. The heart rate, pulse, respiratory rate and body temperature didn't show any significant changes. Ultrasonography finding include: normal dilatation and normal shape of bladder. Normal thickness (1.5 mm) of the bladder wall at the non grafting site, also emphasizes that no cyst were present. No leakage and floating masses in the bladder lumen were observed. Micropathology findings were: the regeneration of transitional epithelium and proliferation of granulation tissue, mild to sever inflammatory response, no degenerative changes at the junction of the bladder and graft, were seen. The results indicate that fresh SAM act as a proper scaffold with least disadvantages, for repairing bladder defects in dogs.