Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 1, 2026
Creation of Abdominal Adhesions in Mice
Published on: August 27, 2016
The impact of the learning curve on adhesion formation in a laparoscopic mouse model
Roberta Corona1, Jasper Verguts, Maria Mercedes Binda
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. coronaroberta@gmail.com
Objective:
To evaluate the impact of surgeon training on adhesion formation in a laparoscopic mouse model. Laparoscopic surgery and bowel manipulation was demonstrated to enhance postoperative adhesion formation.
Design:
Prospective randomized, controlled trial.
Setting:
University laboratory research center.
Animal(S):
200 BALB/c and 200 Swiss female mice.
Intervention(S):
Adhesions were induced by opposing bipolar lesions and 60 minutes of pneumoperitoneum. Each surgeon operated on 80 mice (40 Swiss and 40 BALB/c), the only variable thus being his/her increasing experience. Some surgeons were already experienced gynecologists, others were starting their training.
Main Outcome Measure(S):
End points were the duration of surgery while performing the lesions. The adhesion formation was scored quantitatively (proportion and total) and qualitatively (extent, type, and tenacity) after 7 days.
Result(S):
With training, duration of surgery and adhesion formation decreased exponentially for all surgeons, whether experienced or not. Experienced surgeons had initially a shorter duration of surgery, less adhesion formation, and less de novo adhesions than inexperienced surgeons.
Conclusion(S):
These data suggest that laparoscopic skills improve with training, leading to a decrease in the duration of surgery and formation of adhesions. Therefore completion of a standardized learning curve should be mandatory when initiating adhesion formation studies both in laboratory or clinical setting.
