Purpose: To determine whether Seprafilm aggravates the systemic inflammatory response and adversely affects the outcome of postoperative intraperitoneal septic conditions.
Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the relationship between the intraperitoneal placement of Seprafilm and the rate of intraperitoneal septic complications in 278 consecutive patients. Experimentally, 40 rats were subjected to laparotomy with or without the intraperitoneal placement of Seprafilm. Bacterial peritonitis was induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) and the serum cytokine levels were measured.
Results: Seprafilm did not increase the rate of septic complications or aggravate inflammatory responses in patients with or without postoperative intraperitoneal inflammatory complications. Experimentally, there was no significant difference between the serum inflammatory cytokine levels after CLP with or without Seprafilm.
Conclusions: Seprafilm did not adversely affect postoperative inflammatory response or clinical outcomes, even in patients with intraperitoneal septic complications.