Aspirin augments hyaluronidase induced adhesion inhibition

Abstract

Postoperative adhesions occur after virtually all abdomino-pelvic surgery and are the leading cause of intestinal obstruction and other gynaecologic problems. We used an animal model to test the efficacy of combined administration of aspirin and hyaluronidase on adhesion formation. Adhesions were induced using standardized primary adhesiogenic traumatic lesion to the uterine serosa at laparotomy. Operated rats were randomly divided into 4 groups and various solutions were left in the peritoneal cavity before operative closure. Group I had 10mls of saline, group II had 10mls of aspirin (0.5mg/ml), group III 10mls hyaluronidase (1.5 i,m/ml), and group IV had 10mls mixture of aspirin and hyaluronidase (5mls aspirin and 5mls hyaluronidase) containing 0.5mg and 1.5 i.u. respectively. After 4 weeks, rats were sacrificed and laparotomy was performed to evaluate adhesions. A modified version of the Swolin scoring system was adopted in estimating adhesion formation based on width, thickness and strength of the adhesions. Scores were subjected to statistical analysis using analysis of variance. Scores for animals receiving the combined aspirin and hyaluronidase was signficantly lower than the three controls (P<0.05). In our model, there is no significant difference between aspirin and hyaluronidase in adhesion inhibition, though both have a more potent anti-adhesion effect than saline (P<0.01).


Key Words: Aspirin, hyaluronidase, Adhesion, prostaglandins.


Nig. J. Health and Biomed. Sciences Vol.2(2) 2003: 108-110