Adhesion reduction

Postoperative adhesion development occurs much more frequently then perceived by most clinicians, and causes problems including infertility, small bowel obstruction, pain, and difficult reoperative procedures. One of the major problems with trying to diminish adhesion development, is our lack of understanding of normal peritoneal healing, and how it is altered in situations in which adhesions develop. Future attempts to reduce postop scarring will require combinations of improved surgical techniques including reductions in tissue injury, with addition of adjuvants.