Background
Postoperative adhesion is one of major concerns at re-thoracotomy. Aspirin has both the anti-platelet and anti-inflammatory effects, and decreases several cytokines production.
Conclusions
Aspirin could reduce postoperative pleural adhesion by inhibiting the expression of PDGF.
Methods
We cauterised the lung visceral pleural to make postoperative adhesion in rats. The animals were allocated to a control group and an aspirin administration group (100 mg/kg/day for 14 days). We performed re-thoracotomy and evaluated the adhesion lengths on day 14. We also investigated the cytokine expression in the adhesion region and the peripheral tissue with platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR), alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1), and vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A), sequentially.
Objective
We investigated that aspirin could reduce postoperative adhesion formation in a rat model.
Results
The adhesion lengths were significantly shorter in the aspirin group than that in the control group (8.7±2.0 mm vs 11.2±1.1 mm, p=0.024). The expressions of PDGF and PDGFR were lower in the aspirin group than that in the control group on day 3. The expression of α-SMA on fibroblasts decreased in the aspirin group on day 3. There was no significant difference in the expressions of TGF-β1 and VEGF-A with administration of aspirin. Conclusions: Aspirin could reduce postoperative pleural adhesion by inhibiting the expression of PDGF.