Background: We investigated the hypothesis that local tissue ischemia is responsible for suture-induced adhesion formation.
Methods: A total of 160 interrupted sutures were placed in the parietal peritoneum of 20 Wistar rats. The animals were randomized into an ischemia group, where the sutures were pulled tight and a non-ischemia group, where the sutures were tied as loose loops with air knots to avoid any local ischemia. The midline laparotomy was closed with a running suture. On postoperative day 10, adhesions to the sutures were counted.
Results: There was no statistically significant difference in the number of adhesions forming to sutures with local ischemia (n = 66/80) versus sutures without local ischemia (n = 69/80).
Conclusion: We conclude that local tissue ischemia is not necessary for suture-induced adhesion formation and propose an additional mechanical mechanism to explain how suture knots can predispose to adhesiogenesis.