Comparison between powdered gloves, powder-free gloves and hyaluronate/carboxymethylcellulose membrane on adhesion formation in a rat caecal serosal abrasion model.

OBJECTIVE

Intraabdominal adhesion formation and prevention is one of the major conflicts of modern surgery. We aimed to determine the effects of powdered gloves versus powder-free gloves and hyaluronate/carboxymethylcellulose membrane (H/CMCm) in a rat caecal serosal abrasion model.

METHODS

Sixty wistar albino rats were subjected to a standardized lesion by caecal abrasion model. In group 1, the procedure was performed with sterile powdered gloves. In group 2, the procedure was performed with powder-free sterile gloves. The H/CMCm was applied directly to the abraded caecum in group 3. Formation of adhesions were determined on one half of the animals from each group on the 7th postoperative day, and on the other half on the 15th postoperative day.

RESULTS

There was a statistically significant difference between the adhesion scores on day 7 and 15 in groups 1 and 2 (p = 0.005, p = 0.007). There was no significant difference in adhesion scores on day 7 and 15 in group 3 (p = 0.145). The mean adhesion score was significantly higher in group 1 (powdered glove group) than group 2 (powder-free glove group) and group 3 (powder-free glove plus H/CMCm) on postoperative day 7 (p = 0.001). However, no significant difference was found between groups regarding adhesion scores on postoperative day 15 (p = 0.607). The comparisons of group 2 versus group 3, both on postoperative day 7 (p = 0.051) was not statistically significant, whereas a significant difference was detected between group 1 versus group 2 and group 3 on postoperative day 7 (p = 0.013, p = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Our experiment shows that the use of powder-free gloves may be as beneficial as Seprafilm in preventing postoperative adhesion formation.