Posted by Article on 6/7/2002, 12:03 pm

New Gel May Ease Adhesion Pain Prevention Method May Help Women Updated: 10:08 a.m. EDT June 5, 2002 Help may be on the way for one of the most painful surgical procedures from which women recover. Adhesions are abnormal bands of scar tissue that make organs stick together, and 3 million gynecologic surgeries are performed each year related to adhesions, according to Gynecare, a health-care division of Johnson and Johnson. Because of adhesions, Augusta Sister, 38, has chronic pelvic pain. She's had six operations to correct them, but they keep coming back. "The pain from the adhesions has been absolutely wicked," Sister said. "I wouldn't wish them on anyone." Adhesions lead to complications such as infertility. They can also develop chronic pelvic pain and small bowel obstruction, as well as sometimes a need for emergency surgery to correct a procedure. After surgery, adhesions form between raw tissue surfaces during the healing process. Once adhesions form, the only way to remove them is by surgery. "These adhesions have really stolen my life," Sister said. "That's the best way to describe it." A new adhesion-prevention method recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration may help women like Augusta. Gynecare makes an adhesion-prevention solution that is a gel applied to the surgical site to keep the organs and tissue separated while they heal. Other adhesion preventers are made of fabric and can just be put in a few areas. This gel can cover all surfaces of the abdomen. This is a significant advance in adhesions prevention as well as women's health care because it provides physicians with a product that's simple to use and clinically proven to be effective in reducing adhesions. The bottom line: Make sure to ask your doctor about adhesion prevention. Meticulous surgical technique is important to help prevent adhesions. But also ask your doctor how he or she is going to prevent adhesions. Related Links A Patient's Guide To Adhesions Adhesions.com (Go to article online for links to the items listed above)

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