Intraperitoneal application of carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) has been used for peritoneal adhesions prevention in animals and humans. The objectives of this research was to study the peritoneal response to surgical trauma and application of CMC and also to study how CMC excretion occurs. Nineteen healthy mixed breed horses were submited to laparotomy to produce lesions in distal jejunum by serosal abrasion and ischemia. In the nine horses of the treatment group, 7ml/kg of a 1% CMC sterile solution were instilated in peritoneal cavity before abdominal wall syntesis. No medication was instiled in peritoneal cavitiy of the control group horses. After surgery, blood and peritoneal fluid were colected in 9 postoperative moments: 4 hours after surgical end, on the morning of the 3 subsequent days and on the morning of the 5th, 7th, 9th, 11th and 13th postoperative days. Laboratory tests showed that all animals developed peritoneal inflammation. However, in treatement group, inflammation was more severe. It also could be observed that CMC excretion occured by fagocitosis.
carboxymethylcellulose; peritoneal fluid; peritoneal adhesions; laparotomy; horse
