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Updated: Jun 30, 2026
Creation of Abdominal Adhesions in Mice
Published on: August 27, 2016
Effect of methylene blue on intra-abdominal adhesion formation in rats
Tarek Mahdy1, Gamal Mohamed, Adel Elhawary
1Departments of Surgery and Anatomy, Mansoura Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura, Egypt.
Background:
Adhesion formation represents an important clinical challenge in gastro-intestinal surgery. In the late era, methylene blue (MB) has been claimed to play a helping role in combating such a problem. In the present study, we investigated the effects of MB administered intraperitoneally on the surgically-induced adhesions in rats and tried to clarify whether its impact is concentration-dependent.
Material & Methods:
Seventy adult male Wistar rats were used. They were allocated into seven groups, ten rats each: one control, two sham-operated and four experimental ones. Peritoneal adhesions were evoked by scraping the cecal serosa in the four experimental groups which were given different concentrations of MB, intraperitoneally. The animals of the control group were similarly dealt but were given saline. The rats of the sham-operated groups were given either MB or saline but without any serosal damage.
Results:
After the elapse of two weeks, the resulting adhesions, inflammation and fibrosis were evaluated. In the rats treated with MB 1%, adhesions, inflammatory process and fibrosis scores were similar to those in the sham-operated rats and were significantly lower than those in all other groups.
Conclusion:
It could be concluded that MB, 1%, had the best anti-adhesion potential.
Insights
Methylene blue (MB) at 1% concentration significantly reduced surgically-induced adhesions, inflammation, and fibrosis in rats. This finding highlights MB
Area of Science:
- Gastrointestinal Surgery
- Surgical Pathology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Adhesion formation is a significant clinical issue following gastrointestinal surgery.
- Methylene blue (MB) has shown potential in mitigating post-surgical adhesions.
- The concentration-dependent effects of MB require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of intraperitoneally administered methylene blue (MB) in reducing surgically-induced adhesions in a rat model.
- To determine if the anti-adhesion effects of MB are concentration-dependent.
Main Methods:
- Seventy male Wistar rats were divided into seven groups (10 rats each): control, sham-operated, and four experimental groups.
- Peritoneal adhesions were induced by scraping the cecal serosa in experimental groups.
- Experimental groups received varying concentrations of MB intraperitoneally; control received saline; sham groups received MB or saline without serosal damage.
Main Results:
- After two weeks, rats treated with 1% MB exhibited adhesion, inflammation, and fibrosis scores comparable to sham-operated rats.
- These scores were significantly lower in the 1% MB group than in all other experimental groups.
- The study evaluated adhesion, inflammation, and fibrosis severity.
Conclusions:
- Methylene blue (MB) at a 1% concentration demonstrated significant anti-adhesion properties.
- The 1% MB concentration was found to be the most effective in preventing post-surgical adhesions.
- MB shows promise as a therapeutic agent for reducing surgical adhesions.
