An experimental study evaluating the effect of sodium carboxymethylcellulose on the prevention of postoperative intraabdominal adhesions

Sixty rabbits were used to evaluate the effect of 1% sodium carboxymethylcellulose (SCMC) on prevention of experimentally induced postoperative intraabdominal adhesions. Thirty rabbits were assigned to each of two groups. In all rabbits in both two groups, a ventral midline celiotomy, a caecotomy and a serosal peritoneal on caecal serosa abration were performed. In treatment rabbits (n =30), 1% solution of SCMC (7 ml/kg of body weight) and in control rabbits (n =30), 0.9 % NaCl solution (7 ml/kg of body weight) were infused in to the abdominal cavity before and after manipulations. Two weeks later all rabbits again underwent receliotomy via a paramedian incision were evaluated for adhesions. Twenty six rabbits in the control group, and six rabbits in the treatment group had intraabdominal adhesion. The adhesions were graded in a blinded fashion utilizing the classification system described by NAIR et al. Statistically significantly more rabbits of the control group had adhesions when compared to treatment group (P < 0.001). In conclusion, this study reveals that intra peritoneal administration of 1% SCMC to serosal abrations and caecotomies in rabbits were effective in preventing intraabdominal adhesion formation before and after surgical manipulations. We have suggested that this beneficial effects may be attributable to lubrication and hydroflotation properties of SCMC.