Healing of colonic anastomoses after immediate postoperative intraperitoneal administration of oxaliplatin

The aim of this experimental study was to investigate the effect of intraperitoneal administration of oxaliplatin on the healing of colonic anastomoses when injected immediately after colon resection.

Thirty male Wistar rats were used. During the operation, the rats were randomized to two groups of 15 rats each. Immediately after colonic anastomoses were performed, the rats were injected intraperitoneally with either 3 ml of 0.9% NaCl solution or oxaliplatin (2.4 mg/kg body weight) depending on their group. All rats were killed on the eighth postoperative day. The anastomoses were examined macroscopically. The anastomotic bursting pressures were recorded, the anastomoses graded histologically, and the hydroxyproline tissue contents determined.

Anastomotic leakage was noted in four rats (26.7%) of the oxaliplatin group, whereas no anastomotic dehiscence was detected among rats of the control group (p = 0.016). The adhesion formation at the anastomotic sites and the inflammatory cell infiltration were significantly higher in the oxaliplatin group than in the control group (p = 0.001). The bursting pressures (p = 0.001), the hydroxyproline tissue content (p = 0.001), the neoangiogenesis (p = 0.033), the fibroblast activity (p = 0.001), and the collagen deposition (p = 0.001) were significantly lower in the oxaliplatin group in comparison to the control group.

The immediate postoperative intraperitoneal administration of oxaliplatin seems to impair healing of colonic anastomoses in rats.