UNAIR NEWS – Intraperitoneal adhesion often happens to patients who have undergone laparotomy and gynecology surgery. Adhesion is an abnormal pathological attachment, usually arising between the omentum, the intestines and the abdominal wall. This attachment is a thin connective tissue and thick fibrous that contains blood vessels and nerves. This results from an infection of the inner abdomen and the presence of postoperative trauma.
To overcome intraperitoneal adhesion problems , three students of Universitas Airlangga successfully developed hydrogel to prevent intraperitoneal adhesion.
The UNAIR research team in Student Creativity Program, Exacta Research category (PKM-PE) is led by Yolanda Citra Ayu Priskawati, and Titin Widya Anjar Sari and Firza as the members.
Under the guidance of Dr. Prihartini Widiyanti, drg., Kes., S.Bio., CCD., their propossal entitled ” A study In Vivo Hyaluronic Acid – Chitosan – Allium sativum as Intraperitoneal Antiadhesion “ passed the selection of Dikti and granted research grant from the program of Ministry of Research, Technology and Higher Education PKM 2018.
Yolanda explained that the prevalence of intraperitoneal adhesion cases itself is about 90% -93% occuring post-surgical laparotomy surgery . This adhesion is very dangerous because it can lead to abnormalities such as intestinal obstruction, infertility, chronic abdominal pain, difficulty in re-operative, even death.
The current prevention treatment of adhesion is with liquid barrier as normal saline. However, it still has a weakness, as it is quickly absorbed by the body and adhesion is still formed.
They also often use drugs such as corticosteroids and hormones, but it is still considered less effective in preventing adhesion. In the use of dense barriers such as membranes and films, it is also still difficult to apply because it is attached to surgical gloves.
Quick Covering Wound
From this problem, Yolanda Citra Ayu Priskawati Titin Anjar Widya Sari, and Firza developed hydrogel based on hyaluronic acid -chitosan. This innovation has the advantage of covering the entire wound area, accelerating wound healing and adjusting the healing period.
“This is where we strive to innovate with the addition of Alllium sativum (garlic extract) as an anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory agent,” said Yolanda.
To know the potency and effectiveness level of this hydrogel, continued Yolanda, there will be a series of in vitro test, Fourier Transform Infra Red (FTIR) test to know functional group, swelling test to know hydrogel ability in body fluid absorption, degradation test to know time weight lost on hydrogel, antibacterial test to determine the effectiveness of hydrogel in inhibiting bacterial growth, and cytotoxicity test to determine the toxic properties of the hydrogel .
“In addition to a series of in vitro tests, we will also test in vivo in experimental animals. We hope that the results of this study can be used as a reference for the application of peritoneal anti- adhesion agents in the medical field and can be continued in the clinical trial stage, “Yolanda concluded. (*)
Editor: Bambang Bes
