Histopathological evaluation of mesenchymal stem cells in the healing of anastomosed carotid arteries.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of mesenchymal stem cells on the healing of experimental carotid artery anastomoses histopathologically. Twenty-four female Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this study. After random separation of the subjects into two groups, in both groups carotid arteries were transected and anastomosed in end-to-end fashion. Anastomoses were locally treated with 1 ml 0.09% NaCl, and 1 ml mesenchymal stem cell suspension (1×10⁶ cells) in control and trial groups, respectively. Anastomoses were wrapped with an 8 mm sheet of surgicel and soaked with BioGlue in order to sequestrate the stem cells. After patencies were confirmed via Doppler USG, surgical site was closed with 2/0 silk sutures. Histopathological evaluation was carried out after 4 weeks. In respect to endothelial continuity, vessel patency (along with presence or absence of restenosis), integrities of internal and external elastic laminae, muscularis and adventitia; no statistically significant differences were present between the trial and control groups. In Trial and Control Groups, luminal thrombus was present in 8 (66.6%) and 3 (25%) of the 12 subjects, respectively. The difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Recanalization was present in 6 subjects in trial group; 1 subjects in Control Group, respectively. Our results suggest that local administration of mesenchyme stem cell does not have a positive influence on success of an anastomosis.