Reduction of postsurgical adhesion formation in the rabbit uterine horn model with use of hyaluronate/carboxymethylcellulose gel

Objective: To assess the efficacy of a bioabsorbable gel for reducing primary postoperative adhesions. Design: A randomized, prospective, blinded study. Setting: Academic research environment. Animals: Forty-one New Zealand rabbits. Intervention(s): A chemically modified hyaluronate and carboxymethylcellulose (HA/CMC) gel formulation was applied to a bilateral uterine horn injury. Postoperative adhesions were assessed at a second-look laparoscopy. Main Outcome Measure(s): The uterine horn model was shown to be adhesiogenic, with 29 (70%) of 42 untreated uterine horns found to have adhesions. After gel treatment, 22 (55%) of 40 uterine horns were free of adhesions compared with 12 (30%) of 42 controls. Result(s): Animals treated with HA/CMC gel had significantly reduced postsurgical adhesion scores when compared with controls. Conclusion(s): Treatment of injured uterine horn with HA/CMC gel resulted in a significant reduction in postoperative surgical adhesions.