An Assessment of the Application of Poloxamer/Sodium Alginate/CaCl2 Mixture after Abdominal Surgery in Dogs: Effects on Postoperative Adhesion and Safety

Abstract

Poloxamer/sodium alginate/CaCl2 (PX/SA) mixture (Aniguard®, Genewel, South Korea) is a temperature-sensitive anti-adhesive agent used to prevent postoperative adhesion by forming a biocompatible barrier on the surface of a wound. This study investigated the safety and the ability of PX/SA mixture to prevent postoperative adhesion in dogs. Twenty dogs were divided into two experimental models: an intestine model and a uterus-urinary bladder model. Each model was further divided into two groups. Dogs in the intestine model underwent laparotomy, with multiple intestinal wall abrasions, while dogs in the uterus-urinary bladder model underwent urinary bladder wall abrasion. The control groups were treated with normal saline, and the trial groups were treated with PX/SA mixture. After 10 days, all dogs underwent a laparoscopic exploration to evaluate their abdominal status. On postoperative day 21, the abdominal adhesions were evaluated and scored by a previously validated adhesion score system. Furthermore, the extent of fibrosis and inflammation was scored according to a histopathologic examination. The adhesion scores of the trial groups were significantly reduced in both models compared to those of the control groups (P < 0.05). Furthermore, more fibrosis reactions were found on the adhesion areas in the control groups in both models. (P < 0.05) There were no statistically significant differences in inflammation between the two groups. In addition, no hepatic and renal toxicity or side effects of PX/SA mixture were observed. In conclusion, the use of PX/SA mixture effectively reduced the development of postoperative abdominal adhesions.