Inhibition of macrophage function prevents intestinal inflammation and postoperative ileus in rodents.

Background: Abdominal surgery results in a molecular and cellular inflammatory response in the intestine, leading to postoperative ileus. It was hypothesised that resident macrophages within the intestinal muscularis have an important role in this local inflammation.

Aims: To investigate whether chemical or genetic depletion of resident muscularis macrophages would lead to a reduction in the local inflammation and smooth-muscle dysfunction.