ABSTRACT
This study was designed to assess the efficacy of vacuum sealing drainage (VSD) on skull exposure wounds in rabbits and to investigate the underlying mechanism of the process. Full-thickness excisional circular wounds 2×2 cm with or without periosteum involvement were created in 88 New Zealand white rabbits (mean body weight: 3.0±0.65 kg). Animals were randomly divided into 4 groups: periosteum-intact wounds treated with traditional dressing (p+control), periosteum-intact wounds treated with VSD (p+VSD), periosteum-lacking wounds treated with traditional dressing (p-control) and periosteum-lacking wounds treated with VSD (p-VSD). The wounds treated with traditional dressing were covered with Vaseline gauze, while VSD treatment was accompanied with continuous -120 mmHg pressure. Finally, wound tissues were harvested for analysis of hydroxyproline content and histologic detection. VSD hastened the wound healing process significantly (P<0.05) compared to the corresponding control groups. VSD alleviated the inflammation reaction, accelerated re-epithelialization and facilitated the organization of collagen fibers into neat rows. During the wound healing process, the hydroxyproline content increased overtime [i.e., postoperative days (POD) 7, POD 10 and POD 15] in all four groups, and it peaked in the p+VSD group. VSD also promoted angiogenesis via increasing number and quality of collagen. We concluded that VSD can promote healing in bone-exposed wounds via increasing hydroxyproline content and vessel density, reducing inflammatory responses and generating ordered collagen arrangement.