Exogenous and Endogenous Angiogenic Stimuli do not Augment Splenic Autotransplantation

Objective: To find out if angiogenic stimulation improves the ability of the spleen to regenerate. Design: Experimental study. Setting: Teaching hospital, Republic of Ireland. Animals: 27 male Sprague-Dawley rats. Interventions: Each spleen was removed and half was reimplanted in the greater omentum. The rats were randomised into three groups of 9 each: the first (control) group was given no stimulation; the second had the implanted spleen sutured into the omentum with 6/0 polypropylene; and in the third group the implanted spleen was injected with human recombinant vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) 500 µg. Main outcome measures: Clearance of Howell-Jolly bodies, and the weight and histological appearance of the splenic remnant at 3 months. Results: The splenic remnant was significantly larger at 3 months in the control group ( p = 0.0006). Histological examination of the tissue from the control group showed that it was architecturally similar to that of normal functioning spleen, whereas the tiss...