Abdominal Adhesions

Synonyms

Pelvic adhesions; Synechiae

Definition

Peritoneal adhesions can be defined as fibrous bands between two parts of organs or tissues or both which are normally separated. These fibrous bands develop as part of healing processes that occur after any tissue disturbance such as surgery, infection, trauma, or radiation. The abdomen and pelvis are the two most common locations of adhesions.

Adhesions are rarely congenital and more commonly acquired, of which abdominal-pelvic surgery is the most common cause. Less common causes are intraperitoneal infections or abdominal trauma. Congenital adhesions arise during physiological organogenesis, like the frequently observed attachment of the sigmoid colon to the left pelvic wall, or can be traced back to abnormal embryonal development of the abdominal cavity. These are usually asymptomatic and are diagnosed incidentally. Patients who undergo abdominal or pelvic surgery are prone to develop post-operative adhesions in a percentage estimated...