title: Effect of polyethylene glycol 4000 on adhesion formation following thyroid surgery in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Difficulties in dissection encountered during reoperative thyroid surgery could be minimised by preventing formation of adhesions in the operative field. We studied the prevention of adhesion formation in rats after thyroid surgery by using polyethylene glycol 4000 (PEG 4000).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty two rats in two equal groups were studied. Right hemithyroidectomy was performed in both groups with 0.9 per cent saline being instilled in the operative field in the control group and PEG 4000 solution in the study group. After 10 days, all rats were re-explored and the remaining thyroid tissue of the right lobe was excised. The specimens were scored according to the thickness of the connective tissue over the remainder of the thyroid gland.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The connective tissue thickness over the remaining tissue of the thyroid gland in the control and study groups was 272.04 +/- 77.10 and 172.90 +/- 48.92 microns respectively. The decrease of the connective tissue thickness over the remainder of thyroid gland in the study group was significant (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this animal model although application of PEG 4000 did not completely prevent adhesion formation, a significantly decreased amount of adhesions was found.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Surgery, Celal Bayar University, Manisa, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sakarya
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ilkgül
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Aydede
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Erhan
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Içöz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kapkaç
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alkanat
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kara
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D000267:Tissue Adhesions / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D011092:Polyethylene Glycols