Post-Operative Adhesions: A Comprehensive Review of Mechanisms
Ali Fatehi Hassanabad,
Anna N. Zarzycki,
Kristina Jeon,
Justin F. Deniset,
Paul W. M. Fedak
Affiliations
Ali Fatehi Hassanabad
Section of Cardiac Surgery, Department of Cardiac Sciences, Libin Cardiovascular Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 2N9, Canada
Anna N. Zarzycki
Section of Cardiac Surgery, Department of Cardiac Sciences, Libin Cardiovascular Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 2N9, Canada
Kristina Jeon
Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R7, Canada
Justin F. Deniset
Section of Cardiac Surgery, Department of Cardiac Sciences, Libin Cardiovascular Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 2N9, Canada
Paul W. M. Fedak
Section of Cardiac Surgery, Department of Cardiac Sciences, Libin Cardiovascular Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 2N9, Canada
Post-surgical adhesions are common in almost all surgical areas and are associated with significant rates of morbidity, mortality, and increased healthcare costs, especially when a patient requires repeat operative interventions. Many groups have studied the mechanisms driving post-surgical adhesion formation. Despite continued advancements, we are yet to identify a prevailing mechanism. It is highly likely that post-operative adhesions have a multifactorial etiology. This complex pathophysiology, coupled with our incomplete understanding of the underlying pathways, has resulted in therapeutic options that have failed to demonstrate safety and efficacy on a consistent basis. The translation of findings from basic and preclinical research into robust clinical trials has also remained elusive. Herein, we present and contextualize the latest findings surrounding mechanisms that have been implicated in post-surgical adhesion formation.
