Regeneration of Bladder Epithelium After Mucosal Denudation (Stripping) in Guinea Pigs: An Interim Report

Abstract

In 22 guinea pigs the urinary bladder was macroscopically denuded of mucosa and a permanent cystostomy was made. The animals were killed at various times after the operation—up to six weeks. In seven control guinea pigs, cystostomy was done without mucosal stripping.

Microscopy, however, showed that total stripping of the mucosa was not feasible with the technique used. Regeneration to apparently normal transitional epithelium took place from multiple foci. When inflammatory complications could be kept within bounds, the re-epithelialization was complete within four to five weeks. Severe inflammatory changes of the upper urinary pathways and the kidneys occurred in many of the guinea pigs, presumably secondary to stenosis around the ureteral orifices. The mucosal stripping greatly reduced the animals' resistance to ascending urinary-tract infection.