Effectiveness of silicone sheeting in preventing the formation of pelvic adhesions.

The uterine horns of 35 female rabbits were subjected to injury by cautery. Ten days later the adhesions were scored and lysed, and in 30 animals the lesion on one side was covered with a segment of silicone. The contralateral uterine horn served as an internal control. After 5, 10, or 15 days, the silicone was removed (groups A, B, and C, respectively). Five animals (group D) in which no silicone barrier was introduced served as an external control. The rabbits were killed ten days later, and the pelvic adhesions were scored again. A significant reduction in adhesion formation following lysis was found in groups A, B, and C. The largest difference between the treated and the untreated side was obtained in group A. In each of these groups, the mean adhesions score on the treated side was significantly lower following lysis than in group D.