Can Spinal Bupivacaine Analgesia Treatment Make a Difference on Urinary Bladder Healing According to the Intramuscular Pethidine Analgesia Treatment in Rats?

We designed a study to compare the healing levels found with intramuscular pethidine with those found with intrathecal local anesthetic treatments. The urinary bladder is suggested to be the most useful tissue in the evaluation of the effects of the drugs. Nineteen male, Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 200 C300 g were used in this study. A sagittal section was made in the urinary bladder after suitable anesthesia and laparotomy. Bladders were closed with 5-0 plain catguts 5 min later. There were nine rats in the control group and pethidine (0.5 g/kg) was administered intramuscularly in the gluteal muscle region to treat pain after the operations. There were 11 rats in the study group and each received a spinal injection of 0.25% bupivacaine after the operation. Rats were followed for 7 days to define pain. Specimens, particularly the incised region of the bladder, were evaluated for inflammation and fibrosis. Grading scales were used for this purpose. Statistical analyses of the data were performed using the Chi-square test. Statistical analyses were nonsignificant for inflammation (p </= 0.151) and nonsignificant for fibrosis (p </= 0.105). The treatments may have the same effects on organ healing mechanisms. Statistical difference is not shown in this study, but use of other combinations of pain treatments to evaluate the healing may demonstrate which of these possibilities is true.