title: Effect of phosphatidylcholine on postoperative adhesions after small bowel anastomosis in the rat.
abstract: The possibility of preventing postoperative adhesions using phosphatidylcholine (PC) was studied in rats. A small bowel anastomosis was created using continuous or interrupted 5/0 silk sutures. Adhesions were measured by recording the maximal length of adhesions around the anastomosis and the number of organs involved in the adhesions. PC was administered intraperitoneally either as a single dose or as three separate doses. Postoperative adhesions developed in all animals; the degree of adhesion was independent of the suture technique used. PC given once at a dose of 20 mg significantly decreased adhesion formation (P less than 0.01). The mechanism underlying this effect may be that the exogenous PC provides a lubricant layer replacing endogenous hydrolysed phospholipid. The result with repeated PC administration was not different from that after a single dose. Increasing the single dose of PC to 40 or 60 mg resulted in anastomotic dehiscence and subsequent peritonitis. It is concluded that PC in a single dose of 20 mg reduces adhesion formation after small bowel anastomosis in the rat.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Lund University, Sweden.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Snoj
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ar'Rajab
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ahrén
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bengmark
mesh_terms: D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007410:Intestinal Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000601:surgery*; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D000267:Tissue Adhesions / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D010713:Phosphatidylcholines