Intestinal fistula is associated with high morbidity and difficult to manage. Many
fistulas require surgical treatment, which usually consists of segmental resection. In this study, using a rat model, the effectiveness of
chitosan hydrogel as an
intestinal fistula repair agent was investigated. Twenty rats underwent
laparotomy under
general anesthesia. The antimesentric portion of the cecum was incised (1 cm) and sutured to the abdominal wall.
Chitosan hydrogel was applied daily to the
fistula until it was completely closed. Blood samples taken from all animals were analyzed. After sacrifice, the cecum was removed and histopathologic investigation was performed. Spontaneous closure of the
intestinal fistula was observed in all animals for both the control and
chitosan hydrogel groups. Healing in the
chitosan hydrogel group healing was faster than that in the control group. Blood analysis revealed significant differences between the
chitosan hydrogel and control groups with regard to the total
protein,
albumin, total
cholesterol and HDL before the surgery versus that on the day of sacrifice. Pathologic investigation also showed greater healing in the
chitosan hydrogel group than the control group. This preliminary study showed the potential of
chitosan hydrogel for repair of
intestinal fistula. However further studies must be performed before we can approve testing
chitosan hydrogel for
intestinal fistula repair in humans.