title: Pentoxifylline Inhibits Epidural Fibrosis in Post-Laminectomy Rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this experimental study was to investigate the effectiveness of intramuscular pentoxifylline in the prevention of postoperative fibrosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We divided 16 adult Wistar albino rats into 2 equal groups: treatment and control. Both groups underwent L1 vertebral total laminectomy to expose the dura. The intramuscular treatment group received pentoxifylline. Four weeks later, epidural fibrosis was studied in both groups using electron microscopy, light microscopy, histology, biochemistry, and macroscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The evaluation of epidural fibrosis in the 2 groups according to macroscopic (p<0.01) assessment and light microscopy revealed that epidural scar tissue formation was lower in the treatment group compared to the control group (p<0.001) and the number of fibroblasts was also decreased significantly in the pentoxifylline-treated group (p<0.05). More immature fibers were demonstrated in the treatment group by electron microscopy in comparison with the control group. In biochemical analysis, a statistically significant decrease was detected in hydroxyproline, which indicates fibrosis and myeloperoxidase activity, and shows an inflammatory response (P<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Systemic pentoxifylline application prevents postoperative epidural fibrosis and adhesions with various mechanisms. Our study is the first to present evidence of experimental epidural fibrosis prevention with pentoxifylline.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Maltepe University, Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Bilal
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kelten
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Maltepe University, Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Erdogan
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Istanbul Research and Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Veysel
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Antar
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Maltepe University, Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Selim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sanel
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biology, Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Matem
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tuncdemir
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biochemistry, Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Muge
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kutnu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Maltepe University, Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Alper
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karaoglan
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, Kartal Kosuyolu Research and Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Tulay
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Orki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004824:Epidural Space / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005355:Fibrosis; D006909:Hydroxyproline / Q000378:metabolism; D007796:Laminectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D010431:Pentoxifylline / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D009195:Peroxidase; D006909:Hydroxyproline; D010431:Pentoxifylline