The effect of L-arginine and pentoxifylline on postoperative adhesion formation.
BACKGROUND
Postoperative intraperitoneal adhesion formation is a major cause of infertility, pain, intestinal obstruction, and subsequent intraoperative complication. We investigated the effects of L-arginine and pentoxifylline for preventing postoperative adhesion in rats.


METHODS
Forty Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to a standardized lesion by serosal trauma of the uterine horn and parietal peritoneal defect. The agents were administered intraperitoneally at the end of surgery. The rats were assigned randomly into control (saline treated), L-arginine, pentoxifylline and L-arginine with pentoxifylline groups. Two weeks after surgery, a second laparotomy was performed and the extent of adhesion formation was determined. The data were analyzed by Mann Whitney U test.


RESULTS
In L-arginine and pentoxifylline administered groups, adhesion formation scores were significantly lower than the control group (p<0.05). However, the efficacy of L-arginine used together with pentoxifylline is not superior to those of L-arginine or pentoxifylline alone.


CONCLUSIONS
This study showed that L-arginine and pentoxifylline administered at the end of surgery reduced adhesion formation.
Kaleli
B
B
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pamukkale University, Faculty of Medicine, Denizli, Turkey.
Ozden
A
A
Aybek
Z
Z
Bostanci
B
B
D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D007263:Infusions, Parenteral; D010431:Pentoxifylline / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D000267:Tissue Adhesions / Q000188:drug therapy; D014591:Uterine Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D001120:Arginine; D010431:Pentoxifylline