DOES HEPARIN INFLUENCE THE COURSE OF CHRO NIC ABSCESS-FORMING PERITONITIS IN AN ANIMAL-MODEL

After laparotomy and inoculation of a Bacteroides fragilis suspension (2 ml with 10(8) CFU/ml), we induced chronic abscess-forming peritonit is in rats (n = 19, untreated). Fifteen animals were treated with hepa rin 30 IU, administered s.c. from day 1 after inoculation of the bacte ria onwards. The main groups were divided into three subgroups (n = 8/ 5/6 and n = 5/5/5), which were observed for 3/7/14 days, respectively. On days 3 and 7, abdominal swabs were not only B. fragilis positive, but also showed severe polyvalent mixed infection after translocation of intestinal bacteria into the abdominal cavity. In the heparin group , B. fragilis positive swabs were reduced and translocation was inhibi ted (P<0.05 for days 3 and 7). In the untreated group, blood cultures were B. fragilis positive on days 3/7/14 in 3/2/1 animals versus 0/1/1 in the heparin group. Adhesions were found in the untreated group in 1/4/5 animals, whereas in the heparin group there were no adhesions (P <0.05 for days 7 and 14). However, intra-abdominal abscesses were also diminished in the heparin group (0/2/1) compared with the untreated a nimals (2/4/6, P<0.05 for day 14). Therefore, heparin was shown to hav e a favourable influence on chronic abscess-forming peritonitis in an animal model.