The effect of intraperitoneal administration of sodium tolmetin-hyaluronic acid on the postsurgical cell infiltration in vivo.

Intraperitoneal administration of sodium tolmetin-hyaluronic acid reduced the formation of adhesions at early postsurgical time points. In addition, at 6, 48, 72, and 96 hr following surgery, there was a significant reduction in the number of red blood cells (RBC) recovered from peritoneal lavage. This effect was not the result of fluid or viscous solution in the peritoneal cavity since intraperitoneal administration of Ringer's lactate or Hyskon (a 32% solution of Dextran 70) did not affect RBC recovery. In contrast, the influx of leukocytes into the peritoneal cavity was elevated at 12 hr after surgery, but suppressed at 96 hr. These data may suggest a mechanism by which sodium tolmetin in hyaluronic acid reduced adhesion formation.