Pelvic adhesions: laparoscopic approach

A retrospective study using the American Fertility Society's Adhesion Scoring Method and the MCASM (More Comprehensive Adhesion Scoring Method) and a prospective, randomized, controlled, multicenter trial (Canadian Task Force Classification I) were conducted. Of 2124 cases operated by laparoscopy, 465 patients had adhesions. Fifty-one female patients underwent open or laparoscopic myomectomy procedures with vs. without application of SprayGel adhesion barrier prevention, followed by second-look laparoscopy to evaluate postoperative adhesions. Details of the 465 cases of adhesiolysis are given. In subgroup 1 (n = 34) there were no preexisting adhesions. All 34 patients were assessed at a second-look laparoscopy for adhesion occurrence after 6-8 weeks; 29.4% were found to have no adhesions and 70.6% of patients had significant or mild adhesions. In subgroup 2, 21 patients who had undergone previous surgery for adhesiolysis were operated upon again, and 24% revealed an increased adhesion score, 57% the same adhesion score, and 19% a reduced adhesion score at second-look laparoscopy. Out of 51 patients enrolled, 45 were randomized to either treatment (n = 24) or control (n = 21). Three to sixteen weeks following surgery, 18 of 24 treatment patients (75%) and 13 of 21 controls (61.9%) had second-look laparoscopies (SLL). SLL showed 5 of 18 treatment patients (27.8%) were adhesion free vs. 1 in 13 of controls (7.7%). Patients randomized to SprayGel treatment were 3.6 times more likely to be adhesion free than patients randomized to control. Compared to the initial surgery, the severity score showed a 22% reduction in the treated group vs. a 39% increase in the control group, and a 12% reduction of adhesion area in the treated group vs. a 37% increase in the control group at SLL. New data confirmed previous knowledge: To avoid adhesions you must avoid surgery. If surgery has to be performed, laparoscopic surgery causes fewer adhesions than laparotomy. SprayGel was shown to be effective in reducing postoperative adhesions after laparoscopic and open myomectomy. Application of this adhesion barrier prevention system is fast, easy, and safe. Further studies are needed to confirm the promising results of this interim analysis.