Healing Dynamics of Traumatic Gastric Mucosal Defects in the Normal and Hyperacid Stomach

Previous studies in man and preliminary experiments in the pig suggested an exponential healing rate for both gastric ulcers and induced mucosal defects. This was further investigated in six pigs with histamine-induced hyperacidity and in six controls. Healing of simple surgical defects measuring approximately 1.5 cm was endoscopically monitored at 2- to 3-day intervals through a Thomas cannula. In the control animals the healing rate was not strictly exponential but conformed to an organic decay curve with maximum healing phase around the fifth day and a slow initial and late healing velocity. In the six histamine-treated animals the healing rate was significantly delayed (P < 0.02) in the first four days but thereafter resembled that of the control animals. This suggests that acid secretion may be a determinant factor, especially within the early healing phase.