Background: The purpose of this study was to compare the intra-abdominal adhesion formation following ventral hernia repair by using oxidized regenerated cellulose (ORC) as a barrier underneath polypropylene mesh (PPM), and sodium hyaluronate/carboxymethylcellulose (HA/CMC)-coated PPM. Methods: A ventral abdominal defect was created in each of 30 male rats which were divided into three groups. In group 1 (control) the defect was repaired with PPM; in group 2 ORC was laid over the viscera and the defect was repaired with PPM, and in group 3 HA/CMC-coated PPM was used for the repairing procedure. On the 28th postoperative day all the rats were sacrificed and adhesions were evaluated by laparoscopic exploration followed by histopathological examination. Results: Animals treated with ORC and PPM, and HA/CMC-coated PPM showed significantly less adhesions than the control group (p = 0.026) and the intra-abdominal adhesions of the rats in these two groups were significantly easier to release than in the control group (p = 0.001). There was no significant difference between the ORC and HA/CMC groups. Conclusions: ORC used together with PPM is as effective as HA/CMC-coated PPM and ORC can be used as an adhesion barrier in intra-abdominal hernia repair.

BACKGROUND/AIMS:The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen (CA19-9) levels in patients with gastric cancer.METHODOLOGY:During the period January 2000 and January 2003, 36 patients operated for primary gastric cancer, at Sisli Etfal Training and Research Hospital, Department of General Surgery, were analyzed. Serum CEA and CA19-9 levels were determined preoperatively and the correlation between the elevated levels of tumor markers and several clinicopathological features, and survival were evaluated.RESULTS:Elevated serum CEA and CA19-9 levels were determined in 10 of 35 patients (28.6%), and 9 of 31 patients (29%), respectively, and both markers were elevated in 3 of 31 patients (9.6%). Elevated levels of CEA correlated with depth of invasion (p=0.018) and pathological stage (p=0.029); elevated levels of CA19-9 correlated with lymph node metastasis (p=0.026); and elevated levels of both markers correlated well with lymph node metastasis (p=0.031). The survival of patients with normal CEA levels was significantly better than those with elevated levels (p=0.0072).CONCLUSIONS:Preoperative serum CEA and CA19-9 levels may add useful information in patients with gastric carcinoma, and CEA level is a predictor of prognosis.