Prevent Abdominal Adhesions
Adhesions are sticky scars that cause an abnormal union of separate organs and tissue surfaces. Abdominal adhesions are formed as a result of an inflammatory process following surgical procedures done within the region. After surgery in the abdomen, strands of fibrous scar tissues are formed on the very spot of the operated area, and may sometimes extend beyond the site of the incision (such as around the surrounding abdominal walls or organs). If these adhesions develop beyond the point of incision, they can bind, abnormally wind or hamper the tissues within the area and damage the functions of affected organs. Here are some helpful tips to prevent abdominal adhesions.
Instructions
Pre-Surgical Prevention of Abdominal Adhesions
1. Ask an expert physician that specialize abdominal cases about your condition. You should be very cautious in choosing the right doctor to handle your abdominal condition. There are others who right away suggest a surgical procedure even if it’s not needed. Expert doctors are into scrutinizing every little detail of your case and may suggest effective medications to heal your condition--and they only recommend abdominal surgery when it is absolutely necessary for you to have one.
2. Talk to your doctor about drugs that may help inhibit abdominal adhesions. When you are scheduled for an abdominal operation, ask about medications that may prevent adhesion, such as Celebrex (Celecoxib), an oral drug originally developed for arthritis that has since been found to prevent adhesions. The drug is administered before and immediately after surgery.
3. Make sure that your system is protected against adhesion during surgery. You may want to ask your doctor about the safety measures he applies to prevent you from having severe adhesions after your surgery. Insertion of synthetic fiber barriers can help in some cases. These semisolid thin sheets of barrier products are inserted at the end of surgery at the point of incision. These helpful barriers are safe and dissolve in the body over time. It may not prevent scar formation itself, but is beneficial in preventing organs and tissue surfaces from sticking together.
4. Discuss the type of surgery you are scheduled for, as well as the level of expertise of the surgeons who will handle your operation. You have the right to know everything about your surgery, so don’t hesitate to ask questions about it. The outcome of your surgery largely depends on the careful handling of the surgeons who will operate on you.
Safety Surgical Methods to Prevent Abdominal Adhesions
5. Use powder-free gloves when performing surgical procedures within the abdominal area. As a surgeon or a surgical nurse, you must see to it that the pelvic cavity of the operated patient is not in contact with unnecessary extrinsic substances during operation, such as powder from surgical gloves, as this increases the risk of abdominal adhesions.
6. Limit manipulation of organs that are not included in the procedure. When dealing with abdominal surgeries, you must learn to formulate not only effective surgical methods, but also ones that minimize handling of organs that are not related to the procedure in order to reduce the risk of severe adhesion.
7. Know the proper methods of cleansing an operated cavity. This is another safety method that surgical professionals must apply to minimize adhesion formation. Avoid using surgical sponges that are dry, and remember that proper irrigation of the operated cavity must be done to maintain cleanliness of the area during and after the procedure.
8. Be very careful in doing incisions and sutures when operating in the abdominal cavity. As a surgeon, you should observe proper caution in avoiding unwanted damage to nearby organs, blood vessels or tissue surfaces surrounding the operated area. Also make sure to provide the correct size of suture threads appropriate to the area or areas being operated.
