Toshihiko Umeda

Application of Biocompatible Gel of Hyaluronic Acid in Adhesion Prevention

The efficacy of novel hyaluronic acid (HA) gel manufactured using a freezing procedure from an acidic HA solution was evaluated in a rat cecal abrasion model. HA gel films with different half-lives (50–200 hours) in a physiologic buffered saline at 37°C were prepared by regulating the freezing time. In the mouse peritoneal implantation, the HA gel films were absorbed more slowly than the freeze-dried HA film and the degradation property depended on the degree of the crosslinking reaction. The HA gel film, which was 4 × 4 cm in size (1.5 mg HA/cm2), was applied to the injured cecal surface in rats after standardized treatment with rotary abrasion apparatus. Ten (10) days after the initial operation, the incidence and severity of any adhesions were evaluated to confirm the efficacy of the HA gel films. Application of the HA gel film reduced the adhesion formation in all treatment groups. This novel HA gel film was effective for reducing postoperative adhesions in the rat model and the efficacy for adhesion ...