Intraperitoneal EMLA (lidocaine/prilocaine) to prevent abdominal adhesion formation in a rat peritonitis model.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The accelerative effect of EMLA (eutectic mixture of lidocaine 2.5% and prilocaine 2.5%) in the wound healing process is known. We hypothesised that post-operative peritoneal adhesions may be reduced with intra-peritoneal EMLA administration in a model of bacterial peritonitis. STUDY DESIGN: Bacterial peritonitis was induced in 24 rats by cecal ligation and puncture. The rats were randomly assigned to one of four groups. Group 1 (n=6)) received EMLA intraperitoneally, group 2 (n=6) received 2% lidocaine hcl solution intraperitoneally, the third group received one dose (100 mg/kg) of ceftriaxone sodium (Rocephin, Roche, 1 g) intraperitoneally one day after cecal ligation and puncture procedure, and in control group (group 4, n=6), no fluid or medicine was introduced into the abdomens of the rats. All animals were killed 14 days later in order to assess the adhesion score. Tissue antioxidant levels were measured in 1 g tissue samples taken from the abdominal wall. RESULTS: The adhesion score was significantly lower in the EMLA group than in the lidocaine and control groups. The catalase levels were higher in the lidocaine and control groups than in EMLA group. CONCLUSIONS: Intraperitoneal EMLA inhibited the formation of postoperative intra-abdominal adhesions without compromising the wound healing in this bacterial peritonitis rat model. EMLA also decreased the oxidative stress during peritonitis (Tab. 1, Fig. 7, Ref. 27). Full Text (Free, PDF) www.bmj.sk.