Study of the effect of zinc oxide nanoparticles coated with salicylic acid on intra-abdominal adhesions in rats.

OBJECTIVE: Peritoneal adhesion is a complication following abdominal surgery, observed in about 66% of cases. Adhesions in the intestines are common, and although they may not cause problems, they can sometimes lead to intestinal obstruction. In this study, zinc oxide nanoparticles coated with salicylic acid were used for the first time to prevent the formation of abdominal adhesions after surgery in rats. METHODS: In this study, 40 rats were evaluated in four groups (sham group (laparotomy without abdominal washing), control group (laparotomy and abdominal washing with normal saline), salicylic acid intervention group 27%, and salicylic acid intervention group 54%) regarding the severity of intra-abdominal adhesions after laparotomy. The evaluation of intra-abdominal adhesions was conducted through four criteria (clinical findings, macroscopic findings, histopathological findings, and ELISA findings). RESULTS: Both intervention groups (27% and 54% salicylic acid–coated ZnO nanoparticles) showed a statistically significant reduction in adhesion severity compared to the control group (P < 0.05) across all assessment modalities (macroscopic, histopathological, and ELISA). However, no significant difference was observed between the two intervention doses (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrated that washing the abdominal cavity with 27% and 54% salicylic acid–coated ZnO nanoparticles can significantly reduce the risk of postoperative abdominal adhesions.