This study was carried out to assess the role of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-a) and interleukin-6 (IL-6 ) in plasma and peritoneal fluid in higher rates of adhesion formation following standard bowel injury. Forty-five albino rabbits were divided into three equal groups. Blood was obtained from all the rabbits preoperatively. All the rabbits were subjected to a laparotomy. In group 1(control group), the peritoneal cavity was irrigated with normal saline. In group 2 the cecal serosa was abraded, while the rabbits in group 3 had a resection in small bowel of 2 cm. A peritoneal catheter was placed in all the rabbits prior to closure. Blood samples were obtained at the 30 th , 90 th , and 150 th min following the injury. Peritoneal exudate (PE) was collected and the catheter removed at the end of the 150 th min: Blood samples and peritoneal exudate were processed and levels of TNF-a and IL-6 were determined. The severity of adhesions was graded at the 3 rd postroperative week using a score of 0-1 to 4. The plasma levels of TNF-a and IL-6 correlated significantly with grades of adhesion. TNF-aand IL-6 values also correlated significantly in peritoneal fluid. Rabbits in group 1 had significantly lower adhesion grades when compared with groups 2 and 3 which had higher postoperative plasma and PE TNF-a and IL-6 levels than group 1. These correlations suggest that monitoring of the plasma and peritoneal exudate TNF-a and IL-6 levels might be helpful biological markers for postoperative intra-abdominal adhesion formation.

This study was carried out to assess the role of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-a) and interleukin-6 (IL-6 ) in plasma and peritoneal fluid in higher rates of adhesion formation following standard bowel injury. Forty-five albino rabbits were divided into three equal groups. Blood was obtained from all the rabbits preoperatively. All the rabbits were subjected to a laparotomy. In group 1(control group), the peritoneal cavity was irrigated with normal saline. In group 2 the cecal serosa was abraded, while the rabbits in group 3 had a resection in small bowel of 2 cm. A peritoneal catheter was placed in all the rabbits prior to closure. Blood samples were obtained at the 30 th , 90 th , and 150 th min following the injury. Peritoneal exudate (PE) was collected and the catheter removed at the end of the 150 th min: Blood samples and peritoneal exudate were processed and levels of TNF-a and IL-6 were determined. The severity of adhesions was graded at the 3 rd postroperative week using a score of 0-1 to 4. The plasma levels of TNF-a and IL-6 correlated significantly with grades of adhesion. TNF-aand IL-6 values also correlated significantly in peritoneal fluid. Rabbits in group 1 had significantly lower adhesion grades when compared with groups 2 and 3 which had higher postoperative plasma and PE TNF-a and IL-6 levels than group 1. These correlations suggest that monitoring of the plasma and peritoneal exudate TNF-a and IL-6 levels might be helpful biological markers for postoperative intra-abdominal adhesion formation.