INTERLEUKIN-10 - ABILITY TO MINIMIZE POSTOPERATIVE INTRAPERITONEAL ADHESION FORMATION IN A MURINE MODEL

Objective: To determine the ability of interleukin 10 (IL-10) to suppress postoperative intraperitoneal adhesion formation. Design: Randomized, controlled trial. Setting: University animal research facility. Animals: Six-week-old Swiss Webster mice undergoing a standardized intraperitoneal operative procedure. Interventions: Animals were randomized to ''surgery'' or ''no surgery'' and then further randomized to receive intraperitoneal injections of 1 mt phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) or 1 mu g/kg IL-10 in 1 mt PBS. Vehicle-only doses were given immediately after surgery and then every 24 hours for a total of four injections. Interleukin 10 injections were similarly given but with an added preoperative injection 30 minutes before surgery in one half of the animals. Main Outcome Measure: Adhesion formation. Results: Animals treated with vehicle or IL-10 but not undergoing surgical intervention had no intraperitoneal adhesions. Animals undergoing surgery who were treated with IL-10, with or without a preoperative dose, had significantly lower postoperative adhesion scores than did control animals who postoperatively received PBS only. Conclusion: Interleukin-10 is effective at limiting postoperative intraperitoneal adhesion formation with minimal evident systemic side effects.