Collagen membrane/fleece composite film reduces adhesions in the presence of bleeding in a rabbit uterine horn model.

Objective: Determination of efficacy in presence of bleeding of CDS, a collagen/membrane fleece composite, in a rabbit uterine horn simple abrasion model.

Design: Randomized, controlled, and blinded study involving standard abrasion of the uterine horns with induction of moderate mesouterine bleeding.

Setting: Research laboratory.

Patient(s): New Zealand White rabbits.

Intervention(s): No treatment (surgical control), CDS film, or INTERCEED barrier (negative reference control). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) AND RESULT(S): The extent (percent length uterine horn) with adhesions was assessed after 29 or 30 days. Adhesions formed in surgical controls to an extent (85.6% +/- 4.6%) consistent with historic data for this model. INTERCEED failed to reduce adhesions (78.1% +/- 7.7%) indicating that the test conditions of inadequate hemostasis were validated. CDS film, despite this inadequate hemostasis, reduced the extent of adhesions (31% +/- 7.4%; P<.01). Both the tenacity (P=.0008) and degree of uterine convolution (P=.000003) was reduced by CDS film but not by INTERCEED.

Conclusion(s): Under conditions of inadequate hemostasis CDS effected a reduction in adhesion development. CDS may be useful adjuvant for procedures where hemostasis is difficult to achieve.