Treatment with chlorhexidine modifies the healing of colon anastomosis in rats.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of chlorhexidine on the healing of colon anastomosis in the presence of peritonitis.


METHODS
Peritonitis was induced in male Wistar rats by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). The abdominal cavities of experimental animals were irrigated with warm solutions containing 0.9% saline (SAL group; n = 8) or 0.05% chlorhexidine (CHD group; n = 8), following which colon anastomosis was performed. Rats of the control group (n = 8) were submitted to colon anastomosis but not to CLP. Animals were euthanized seven days after surgery, and healing was assessed by histopathological examination and by measuring anastomotic burst pressure.


RESULTS
Post-operative survival rates were 100, 87.5 and 75% for the control, SAL, and CHD groups, respectively. The degree of inflammation was significantly lower (ρ = 0.01) in the CHD group compared with the other groups, whilst the anastomotic burst pressure within the CHD group (156.7 ± 53.2 mmHg) was lower than, but not significantly different from, those of the control and SAL groups (196.3 ± 49.8, 208.6 ± 72.7 mmHg, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Peritoneal irrigation with chlorhexidine solution is effective in the control of inflammation promoted by peritonitis but does not improve healing of colon anastomosis in rats.
Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Cirurgia, Av. Prof. Alfredo Balena, 190, Belo Horizonte, 30130100, Brazil. gpbicalho1@uol.com.br
Paulo Roberto Rodrigues
PR
Bicalho
Claudio Alvarenga Campos
CA
Mayrink
Fernando
F
Fernandes
Daniel Gomes
DG
Alvarenga
Ivana Duval
ID
Araujo
Tarcizo Afonso
TA
Nunes
Fabiola Alves
FA
Reis
D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D000818:Animals; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002710:Chlorhexidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003106:Colon / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000601:surgery*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007263:Infusions, Parenteral; D008297:Male; D010533:Peritoneal Lavage; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects*
D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D002710:Chlorhexidine