FIBRINOLYTIC-ACTIVITY IN THE ABDOMINAL-CAVITY OF RATS WITH FECAL PERITONITIS

Generalized peritonitis causes a reduction in abdominal fibrinolytic a ctivity, resulting in persistence of intraabdominal fibrin with subseq uent adhesion and abscess formation. The activities of tissue plasmino gen activator (tPA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI) were mea sured in the peritoneal fluid of rats with faecal peritonitis and corr elated with the extent of peritoneal damage to determine the cause of decreased fibrinolysis. Activity of tPA was low during the study perio d of 8 days, but higher in rats with peritonitis than in controls. The activity of PAI in rats with peritonitis was significantly increased compared with that of controls during the whole study period (P<0.001) . Histological signs of damage to the peritoneum were similar in rats with peritonitis and controls. There was no correlation between the ex tent of peritoneal damage and tPA or PAI activity. The increased activ ity of PAI in the peritoneal fluid of rats with faecal peritonitis may be the main cause of reduced fibrinolysis in the abdominal cavity. Ac tivities of tPA and PAI may originate not only from the mesothelium bu t from other sources.