Effect of Stress upon the Healing of Wounds in Rats.

Abstract

1. A variety of situations, calculated to provide a chronic “stress” stimulus, have been studied in order to determine the effect of stress upon the bursting pressure of standard laparotomy wounds in rats. 2. With the exception of mild stress (skin incisions, single turpentine injection), in each case a depression of the bursting pressure of fifth day laparotomy wounds was observed. This was accompanied by increases in the weight of the adrenal glands at autopsy. 3. The duration of this period of stress-induced depression of healing appeared to vary with the magnitude and the nature of the stress stimulus.