Reducing post-surgical adhesions utilizing a drug-enhanced device: sodium carboxymethylcellulose aqueous gel/poly(p-dioxanone) and Tranilast.

Post-surgical adhesion formation has numerous deleterious side effects in a wide variety of surgical settings. Physical barriers used together with laparoscopy were developed to reduce tissue trauma seen with open procedures. However, despite surgeons' meticulous techniques and the use of such barriers, adhesion formation remains a serious clinical problem, creating complications that cost the health care system over $1 billion annually.