The processing of chitosan and its derivatives and their application for postoperative anti-adhesion

The formation of peritoneal adhesions represents one of the most common complications after abdominal surgery, and it increases the difficulty of re-operation. Thus, preventing postoperative adhesions is a major problem in the field of surgical medicine. Due to a lack of good predictive animal models and the complexity of adhesion pathogenesis, attempts to prevent or reduce peritoneal adhesions have been largely unsuccessful. As a result, the study of anti-adhesion drugs and materials has become a hot topic for experts and scholars. The processing and development of chitosan and its derivatives as new anti-adhesion materials is highly valued because chitosan is inexpensive, highly biocompatible, and not cytotoxic, making it a promising anti-adhesion material. Here, we review the sources and preparation of chitosan and the progress made toward producing different types of chitosan and its derivatives for preventing adhesion.