Difficulty in predicting intra-abdominal adhesion before cesarean section: A case report

Adhesions between the bladder and uterus necessitated an atypical incision in the cesarean section of a woman with endometriosis. This could not be predicted with pre-surgery MRI. .No methods in the literature are able to predict adhesions with true certainty; it is therefore still difficult to diagnose intra-abdominal adhesions

Preoperative sonographic prediction of intra-abdominal adhesions using sliding sign at repeat caesarean section at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Nigeria: a prospective observational study

ObjectiveTo determine if the presence or absence of sonographic sliding sign preoperatively is a good predictor of the presence and type of intra-abdominal adhesions; and to determine the time taken to demonstrate this sign.DesignA prospective, observational, triple-blind study using tests of diagnostic accuracy.SettingSingle-centre tertiary health institution in north-east Nigeria.Participants67 women in the third trimester scheduled for repeat elective caesarean sections (CS) had transabdominal sonography to determine the absence or presence and degree of sliding sign. The time taken to make these decisions were noted. Surgeons blinded to the ultrasound findings graded adhesions intraoperatively and comparison between sonographic and intraoperative findings made. Women who were scheduled for emergency CS were excluded.Main outcome measuresAccuracy of preoperative ultrasound to determine no/mild, moderate and severe adhesions. Secondary outcomes were interobserver correlations and time taken to determine sliding.ResultsWhen classified as adhesion and no adhesion, the sliding sign demonstrated a sensitivity of 100.00% (CI95 85.18% to 100.00%), specificity of 100.00% (CI95 92.13% to 100.00%). In predicting presence of moderate intra-abdominal adhesions, a sensitivity of 65.0% (CI95 40.78% to 84.61%) and specificity of 82.98% (CI95 69.19% to 92.35%) was found. For predicting severe intra-abdominal adhesions, it had a sensitivity of 25.00% (CI95 0.63% to 80.59%) and specificity of 98.41 (CI95 91.47 to 99.96). Disease prevalence for mild, moderate and severe adhesions was 33.82% (CI95 22.79% to 46.32%), 29.85% (CI95 19.28% to 42.27%) and 5.97% (CI95 1.65% to 14.59%), respectively. Interobserver Cohen’s kappa coefficient and PPA were 0.58 (CI95 0.39 to 0.76) and 58.82 (CI95 52.82 to 64.82), respectively. The mean duration to determine sliding sign was 7.56±2.86 s.ConclusionThis study supports the role of transabdominal sliding sign in preoperative prediction of intra-abdominal adhesions in women with previous CS without significant increase in sonography duration. This information can encourage planning for CS by ensuring that surgeons of appropriate seniority are deployed to undertake anticipated complex operations.

Prevention of Postsurgical Abdominal Adhesion Using Electrospun TPU Nanofibers in Rat Model

Intra-abdominal adhesions following surgery are a challenging problem in surgical practice. This study fabricated different thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) nanofibers with different average diameters using the electrospinning method. The conditions were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscope (AFM), and Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR) analysis. A static tensile test was applied using a strength testing device to assess the mechanical properties of the electrospun scaffolds. By changing the effective electrospinning parameters, the best quality of nanofibers could be achieved with the lowest bead numbers. The electrospun nanofibers were evaluated in vivo using a rat cecal abrasion model. The macroscopic evaluation and the microscopic study, including the degree of adhesion and inflammation, were investigated after three and five weeks. The resultant electrospun TPU nanofibers had diameters ranging from about 200 to 1000 nm. The diameters and morphology of the nanofibers were significantly affected by the concentration of polymer. Uniform TPU nanofibers without beads could be prepared by electrospinning through reasonable control of the process concentration. These nanofibers’ biodegradability and antibacterial properties were investigated by weight loss measurement and microdilution methods, respectively. The purpose of this study was to provide electrospun nanofibers having biodegradability and antibacterial properties that prevent any adhesions or inflammation after pelvic and abdominal surgeries. The in vivo experiments revealed that electrospun TPU nanofibers reduced the degree of abdominal adhesions. The histopathological study confirmed only a small extent of inflammatory cell infiltration in the 8% and 10% TPU. Conclusively, nanofibers containing 8% TPU significantly decreased the incidence and severity of postsurgical adhesions, and it is expected to be used in clinical applications in the future.

Prevention of Intra-Abdominal Adhesions Using the Combination of Mediclore® and a Statin

<b><i>Purpose:</i></b> This study investigated the antiadhesive effects of Mediclore®, rosuvastatin, and a combination of Mediclore and rosuvastatin in a rat adhesion model. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> The adhesion models (a total of 58 adult male rats) were divided into 4 groups. The control group (group C) received no special materials except for a saline. The experimental groups were treated with 5 mL of Mediclore (group M), rosuvastatin (group R), or rosuvastatin and Mediclore (group RM), and these materials were intraperitoneally placed under the incision. At postoperative day 14, the rats underwent re-laparotomy and adhesiolysis. Three investigators blinded to group assignment scored the extent of adhesion formation, the numbers of remote adhesions, and the extent of acute/chronic inflammation, fibrosis, edema, and congestion on resected specimens via histologic examination. <b><i>Results:</i></b> The macroscopic adhesion score in group RM (7.27 ± 3.51) was significantly lower than those in groups C (13.36 ± 2.24) and R (11.71 ± 1.98); group M (9.13 ± 4.09) had a significantly lower adhesion score than group C. The number of remote adhesions was significantly lower in groups R and RM than in group C. The acute inflammation score, chronic inflammation score, and fibrosis score in group RM; the acute inflammation score in group R; and the fibrosis score in group M were significantly lower than those in group C. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> The intraperitoneal application of Mediclore and a combination of Mediclore and rosuvastatin effectively reduced postoperative adhesions.

Effects of Oral Zafirlukast, Sildenafil, or Pirfenidone on the Formation of Postsurgical Intra-abdominal Adhesions in an Experimental Rat Model.

Introduction: Intra-abdominal adhesions' main etiology is surgical procedures that commonly require reintervention. Oral treatments with Sildenafil, Zafirlukast, and Pirfenidone have yielded decreased severity of fibrotic phenomena secondary to the introduction of foreign material. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of oral Zafirlukast, Sildenafil or Pirfenidone treatment on reducing or preventing intra-abdominal adhesions in an experimental rat model. Methods: Four groups, each of 10 male Wistar rats weighing 250–300 g, were used. A midline laparotomy was used to excise an area of 1.5´1.5cm and reconstructed with polypropylene mesh fixed to the abdominal wall. After 12 h, oral doses of Zafirlukast (1.25 mg/kg, group B), Sildenafil (15 mg/kg, group C), or Pirfenidone (500 mg/kg, group D) were given every day for eight days. The control group, A, received no treatment. At day nine, animals were reoperated. The implant was resected after ethically approved euthanasia and specimens were fixed in 10% formaldehyde for histopathology. Results: Control group A yielded adhesions with greater fibrovascular density and neighboring organ involvement than the other groups (P = 0.001), as well as intense inflammatory infiltrates and numerous granulomas (P = 0.04). Adhesions in group C had less fibrovascular density (P = 0.03) with decreased serosal injuries (P = 0.001) and less organ involvement. Group D had reduced adhesions without organ involvement (P < 0.01), and less inflammatory infiltrates, collagen fibers, and foreign body granulomas than groups B or C (P < 0.01). Conclusions: Oral administration of these agents did not prevent adhesions but ameliorated them. Oral Pirfenidone offered the best performance and could be recommended for human use.

The technology of artificial pneumoperitoneum CT and its application in diagnosis of abdominal adhesion

To retrospectively analyze the use of artificial pneumoperitoneum in CT scans, to explore its operation methods and technical points, and to lay the foundation for the widespread application of artificial pneumoperitoneum in CT. A total of 331 patients who underwent artificial pneumoperitoneum with CT angiography from January 1, 2013, to November 1, 2019, were recruited. All patients underwent standardized artificial pneumoperitoneum in the horizontal, left and right lateral, and prone positions during CT thin-layer scans of the abdomen and 3D reconstruction. Taking the surgical results as the gold standard, and using kappa test to verify the consistency of surgical results and imaging results. In all 331 patients, 43 patients had a normal peritoneal space, and 288 patients had an abnormal peritoneal space. And only 22 patients developed complications of subcutaneous emphysema, accounting for 6.6% of all 331 patients. In terms of the postoperative results, 28 were normal, and 303 were abnormal. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of CT diagnosis of abdominal adhesions using artificial pneumoperitoneum were 100%, 95.04%, and 95.46%, respectively. According to the Kappa consistency test, the imaging diagnosis from the CT scan with artificial pneumoperitoneum had a high consistency with the surgical results (kappa = 0.796, P < 0.05). The technique of artificial pneumoperitoneum CT is safe, reliable, highly practical, and proficient for obtaining good imaging results. It provides a good imaging basis for the diagnosis of intra-abdominal diseases, especially intra-abdominal adhesions.

PREDICTING THE RISK OF DEVELOPING ABDOMINAL ADHESIONS IN CHILDREN DEPENDING ON ACETYLATION GENOTYPE

Objective. To determine the predictive value of the genetic polymorphism of the N-arylacetyltransferase-2 (NAT-2) gene for assessing the risk of postoperative adhesive intestinal obstruction in children. Methods. In all children (36 children with adhesive intestinal obstruction (main group) and 35 planned patients (comparative group)) the acetylation genotype was studied by detecting point mutations of the NAT-2 gene using allele-specific amplification method with analysis of apolymerase chain reaction-restrictionfragmentlengthpolymorphism. Results. The study of the frequency of mutations at position 481 revealed the greatest diversity of the studied variants of genotypes: 33.3% of the children of the main group were homozygous for the wild-type gene, 44.4% were heterozygotes, 22.2% of patients had a homozygous mutant gene. According to the NAT-2 * 6A genotype (G 590 - A), the majority of patients (55.6%) were heterozygotes, 44.4% were homozygotes with the wild-type of the gene. Not a single case of mutation at position 857 has been identified. Among the children of the main group, the share of «fast» acetylators was 69.4%, in the comparison group - 40.0% (χ²=6.215; p=0.013). The development of postoperative adhesive intestinal obstruction in children with the “fast” acetylation genotype occurred in the absence of clinical and anamnestic risk factors and was characterized by a greater severity and prevalence of intra-abdominal adhesive process (PAI was (14.8±1.8) and (8.1±2.4 ), respectively). Conclusion. The risk of developing postoperative adhesive complications in children can be done preventively by determining the genetic polymorphism of the N-acetyltransferase-2 gene. The risk group for developing adhesive intestinal obstruction is made up of children who are the carriers of NAT-2 alleles and correspond to the genotype of «fast» and «moderate» acetylation. Children who are «fast» acetylators have a more pronounced intra-abdominal adhesion process and a higher risk of complications associated with excessive adhesion even in the absence of other risk factors. What this paper adds N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2) gene polymorphism as a prognostic risk factor for the development of adhesive intestinal obstruction in children has been studied. Children as the carriers of the «fast» acetylator genotype have a higher risk of developing intra-abdominal adhesions and therefore require more comprehensive preventive measures at all stages of possible influence.

A Relook into Visceral Slide Test as a Preoperative Screening Modality to Detect Abdominal Wall Adhesions- A Prospective Observational Cohort Study

Background: Background: Ultrasound has become an invaluable tool in our daily practice. Its role in screening for adhesions has been tested since the 1990s. Objective: This study aims to determine the role of the visceral slide test as a screening method to predict abdominal wall adhesions in women undergoing gynecological surgery. Methods: We conducted a prospective observational cohort study from August 2017 to July 2019 in women undergoing elective abdominopelvic surgery for a gynecological indication. Preoperatively, a visceral slide test was performed in 5 specified zones on the abdomen and the test results were clinically correlated with the presence, severity, and extent of adhesions intra-operatively. Results: Results were reported as mean, standard deviation, range of values or number and percentage. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and diagnostic accuracy (including 95% confidence interval for all) of visceral slide test were calculated to determine intra-abdominal adhesions . We also found a correlation between the number of negative slide tests and PAI scores using Spearman’s correlation test. Of the 339 women who completed the study, 41.2% had a previous history of abdominopelvic surgery. In this study, the visceral slide test was found to have a sensitivity of 70.87% ( 95%CI 62.15-78.59), specificity of 86.32% (95% CI 80.95-90.64), positive predictive value (PPV) of 75.63% ( 95% CI 68.49-81.59), negative predictive value (NPV) of 83.18%( 95% CI 78.95-86.70) and diagnostic accuracy of 80.53%( 95% CI 75.91-84.61)with p-value less than 0.001. The number of negative slide tests positively correlated with the Peritoneal Adhesion Index score (r = 0.662, p < 0.001) and also with increasing operative time and intraoperative blood loss. Accuracy and positive predictive value of the test were significantly higher in patients with a history of abdominal surgeries, endometriosis and PID. Conclusion: Visceral slide test is an easy, rapid, non-invasive and reliable screening test to predict abdominal adhesions in women undergoing gynecological surgery. The presence of risk factors for adhesions increases the accuracy of the test.