Operative laparoscopy versus open abdominal surgery: a comparative study on postoperative adhesion formation in the rat model.

The aim of this study was to compare the occurrence of adhesions after a standard uterine injury inflicted by laparoscopy or by laparotomy during which microsurgical principles were observed. The cross-sectional areas of adhesions involving the uterus were assessed and the 31 rats operated upon laparoscopically were compared with the 30 rats subjected to a laparotomy. The mean area of uterine adhesions formed in the laparotomy group was 4.29 mm2 and 8.88 mm2 in the laparoscopy group. The difference was not statistically significant. The results imply that a standard tissue injury to uterine tissue, whether conducted by laparoscopy or via laparotomy, carries the same potential to induce postoperative adhesions.