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Effect of endometrioma cyst fluid exposure on peritoneal adhesion formation in a rabbit model.

Smith LP, Williams CD, Doyle JO, Closshey WB, Brix WK, Pastore LM

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, Virginia.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether copious lavage and suction of human endometrioma fluid placed in the peritoneal cavity of rabbits reduces adhesion formation compared to no lavage. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, blinded study. SETTING: Academic research environment. ANIMAL(S): Twenty-four female New Zealand white rabbits. INTERVENTION(S): Rabbits randomized into three groups: [1] laparoscopy with instillation of human endometrioma material, no lavage; [2] laparoscopy with instillation of human endometrioma material, followed by clearance of all visible endometrioma fluid by saline lavage and suction; [3] laparoscopy alone. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Six weeks after laparoscopy, adhesions scored by laparotomy using standard visual assessment scoring system and histologic microscopic evaluation. Data evaluated using Kruskal-Wallis and median nonparametric tests. RESULT(S): For groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively, mean total clinical adhesion scores were 0.67 (95% confidence interval [CI] -0.87, 2.2), 3.67 (95% CI 1.27, 6.07), and 0 (95% CI 0, 0). Group 2 had statistically significantly higher mean adhesion scores compared to group 1. Histologic adhesion scores followed the trend of clinical adhesion scores. CONCLUSION(S): In this rabbit model, human endometrioma fluid exposure in the peritoneal cavity is not associated with adhesion formation. Instillation of endometrioma fluid followed by copious saline lavage is strongly associated with adhesion formation.

Published 4 May 2007 in Fertil Steril, 87(5): 1173-9.
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