THE EFFECT OF HEPARIN UPON FIBRINOPURULENT PERITONITIS IN RATS

Abstract

The effect of heparin upon the clinical and pathologic course of experimentally induced peritonitis in the rat was studied. Peritonitis was induced in 40 rats by creating a closed ileal loop 4 cm long at a distance of 5 cm from the ileocecal valve. The rats were divided into 2 groups of 20 each. The 1st group served as the control group while each rat of the 2nd group received 30 U of heparin s.c. per day postoperatively. Survival was drastically increased in the group receiving heparin (P = 0.001). Adhesion or abscess formation was considerably reduced in this group. The results of peritoneal cultures showed decreased incidence of Escherichia coli and clostridia in the heparin-treated group. Blood cultures also showed decreased incidence of aerobes and anaerobes in the treated group. Thus, the administration of heparin significantly prolongs survival time of animals with peritonitis and reduces the development of adhesions and abscesses in the peritoneal cavity. This beneficial effect could be attributed to decreased fibrinogen deposits within the peritoneal cavity, thus rendering the bacteria more susceptible to cellular and noncellular clearing mechanisms.