title: Adhesion-promoting properties of dyes routinely used during fertility surgeries.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  With the link between peritoneal adhesions and infertility well established, it is critical that materials used in pelvic surgery be tested for their adhesion-forming properties. The current study examined the adhesion-inducing properties of two dyes routinely used for visualization during pelvic surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  In vivo and in vitro examination of the effects of the dyes methylene blue and indigo carmine on adhesion formation in a mouse model.
  
  
  METHODS
  A series of three experiments was conducted. In the first, dyes were injected directly into the peritoneal cavity. The mice were then sacrificed at one of two time points and the peritoneal cavity examined for adhesion formation. In addition, because of their purposed role in adhesion formation, macrophages from the cavity were examined for signs of dye-induced activation. Further studies of macrophage activation were then conducted in vitro to determine the effects of dye concentration and exposure time on the activation process.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both methylene blue and indigo carmine appeared to induce adhesion formation as well as macrophage activation in vivo. Further, long-term exposure to visual concentrations of both dyes appeared to induce macrophage activation. However, only those macrophages exposed to methylene blue exhibited signs of activation when the exposure time was limited to times equivalent to those which might be expected during surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Of the two dyes tested, indigo carmine might be the dye of choice in surgeries where fertility is to be maintained.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Texas Tech University HSC, Lubbock 79430, USA.
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Prien
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dunn
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Messer
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000601:surgery; D000818:Animals; D007203:Indigo Carmine / Q000633:toxicity*; D008262:Macrophage Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008751:Methylene Blue / Q000633:toxicity*; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D008858:Microscopy, Phase-Contrast; D010388:Pelvis / Q000601:surgery; D010532:Peritoneal Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D011897:Random Allocation; D000267:Tissue Adhesions / Q000139:chemically induced*
chemical_list: D007203:Indigo Carmine; D008751:Methylene Blue