EFFECT OF RECOMBINANT TISSUE-PLASMINOGEN ACTIVATOR ON INTRAABDOMINAL ABSCESS FORMATION IN RATS WITH GENERALIZED PERITONITIS

BACKGROUND: During generalized peritonitis, intraabdominal fibrin deposition is stimulated whereas fibrinolytic activity is reduced, which predisposes intra-abdominal abscess formation. We investigated the effects of increasing the intra-abdominal fibrinolytic activity on abscess formation by intra-abdominal administration of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA). Potential side effects, such as bacteremia and bleeding, were also assessed.STUDY DESIGN: A rat model of generalized peritonitis, induced by intraperitoneal injection of sterile feces 10(4) cfu per mt Escherichia cell contaminated with 10 (E. cell) and 10(4) cfu per mt Bacteroides fragilis, was used.RESULTS: Rats treated with rt-PA dissolved in methyl hydroxy propyl cellulose (MHPC) gel (0.5 mg per mt), had significantly less intra-abdominal abscesses than rats in the control group, treated with either Ringer's lactate solution or MHPC gel alone (pCONCLUSIONS: Recombinant tissue plasminogen activator prevents abscess formation in rats with generalized peritonitis. However, early bacteremia and increased mortality rates are serious drawbacks of the intra-abdominal use of rt-PA in this rat model.