Postoperative adhesion development after operative laparoscopy: evaluation at early second-look procedures

Abstract

To assess the issue of the frequency and severity of adhesion reformation and de novo adhesion formation after operative laparoscopy, this multicenter collaborative report of early second-look procedures after operative laparoscopy was initiated. Sixty-eight subjects underwent operative laparoscopic procedures including adhesiolysis, followed by a second operative procedure within 90 days. The total mean adhesion score decreased from 11.4 ± 0.7 at the initial operative procedure to 5.5 ± 0.4 at the second-look procedure, a decrease of 52%. At the time of the second-look procedure, 66 of 68 women (97.1%) had pelvic adhesions. Adhesion reformation occurred in 66 of 68 women and at 230 of 351 sites (66%) at which adhesions were lysed. Despite this high incidence of adhesion reformation, de novo adhesion formation after operative laparoscopy occurred in only 8 of 68 women (12%) and at 11 of 47 available sites in these 8 women. We conclude that adhesion reformation is a frequent occurrence after operative laparoscopy; however de novo adhesion formation appears to occur much less frequently.