An Adhesion Reduction Plan in the Management of the Surgical Open Abdomen

Adhesions are a common consequence of abdominal surgery. Trauma and emergency general surgery patients may require an open abdomen and undergo a series of abdominal operations, which may be increasingly complicated by the presence of adhesions. Adhesions appear soon after the initial operation and gradually mature within days. The effects of adhesion development on subsequent surgery may include: increased procedure time; difficulty differentiating, exposing, and accessing tissue planes; and increased risk of inadvertent enterotomy. Complications of adhesions include enteric obstruction and enterocutaneous fistulae. This study will determine whether an adhesion reduction plan, consisting of early adhesion prevention and application of a bioresorbable membrane is effective in reducing the extent and severity of adhesions and the incidence of complications in managing the open abdomen in trauma and emergency general surgery.