Effects of Intraperitoneal Administration of Simvastatin in Prevention of Postoperative Intra-abdominal Adhesion Formation in Animal Model of Rat.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the preventive effects of local administration of simvastatin for postoperative intra-abdominal adhesion formation in animal model of rat.

METHODS: In this experimental study, 32 Wistar albino rats as the animal model of intra-abdominal adhesion formation were included. Adhesions were induced in all the animals via abrasion of the peritoneal and intestinal surface during laparotomy. Afterwards, the rats were randomly assigned to receive simvastatin (30 mg/kg body weight) as a single intraperitoneal dose at the time of laparotomy (n=16) or normal saline in same volume at the same time (n=16). At the day 21, animals were euthanized and the adhesions were quantified clinically (via repeated laparotomy) and pathologically and compared between the two groups.

RESULTS: The baseline characteristics of the animals were comparable between two study groups. Clinically, in simvastatin group, 10 rats (62.5%) did not develop any adhesion and 6 (37.5%) had first-grade adhesion; whereas in the control group, 11 (68.8%) rats had first- and 5 (31.2%) had second-grade adhesions (p<0.001). Pathologically, in simvastatin group, 6 rats (37.5%) had first-grade adhesion, while in control group, 11 rats (68.8%) had first- and 5 (31.2%) had second-grade adhesions (p<0.001).

CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that intraperitoneal administration of simvastatin is an effective method for prevention of postoperative intra-abdominal adhesion formation in animal model of rat.