Objective: To investigate the potential role of mast cell stabilisation in
the prevention of post-operative adhesions.
Design: Laboratory animal experiment.
Setting: University hospital, Turkey,
Subjects: Ninety Wistar albino rats.
Intervention: Under anaesthesia, a lower midline laparotomy was performed,
the caecum exposed and grasped until haemorrhage occurred. The rats were di
vided into three groups. Group 1, 2 and 3 were intra-peritoneally administe
red 1 mi of saline, disodium cromoglycate 5mg/kg in 1 ml of saline and 10mg
/kg in 1 ml of saline, respectively thirty minutes prior to laparotomy and
immediately subsequent to abdominal closure. They were later sacrificed, la
parotomy repeated and the presence and extent of intra-abdominal adhesions
evaluated.
Results: Adhesion scores were best in the high disodium cromoglycate dose g
roup of rats (p<0.05) and the number of degranulated mast cells was signifi
cantly low in this group (p<0.05),
Conclusion: Disodium cromoglycate may be an effective agent for attenuating
adhesion formation when administered in suitable doses.