The effect of intravenous aprotinin (Trasylol) on intraperitoneal adhesion formation in the rat.

A randomized controlled trial to assess the effect of intravenous Trasylol on postoperative intraperitoneal adhesion formation has been performed in rats. Before undergoing a standard left colonic resection, animals received i.v. Trasylol 10 000 KIU. This dose was repeated 8-hourly for 3 days postoperatively. Control animals received saline placebo. The mean percentage circumference of the anastomosis covered with adhesions in the Trasylol group animals was 20.86 +/- 6.08 compared with 45.24 +/- 5.97 in the control group (P less than 0.01). Significantly more animals treated with Trasylol were completely free of adhesions than those receiving saline. Bursting pressures did not differ between the two groups. Intravenous Trasylol clearly inhibits intraperitoneal adhesion formation in this model.